


Fourth Year

by littlebark



Series: The Path Less Traveled On [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Remus Lupin mention, Sirius Black mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-08-11 06:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7880788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlebark/pseuds/littlebark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dark Mark, and Tournaments and Balls, oh my! Karina Black is starting her fourth year at Hogwarts under no pretense that it will be a sane one. However, not even in her wildest dream does she think it would end the way it does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“What did we say about this year?”

Karina Black slanted a look towards her adoptive father, Keith Moore, as she pulled her trunk and owl cage into the living room. With a long suffering sigh, she muttered, “no getting into trouble.”

“With?”

At this, Kari scowled. “With potentially dangerous wizards. Although really it hasn't been my fault, you know.”

Keith laughed. “Of course not. What time did Mr. Weasley say he would be here at?”

Arthur Weasley was the father of one of her best friend’s at Hogwarts, Ron. He had written to Kari’s parents weeks before asking for permission to have her come for the Quidditch World Cup and stay with them for the rest of the summer. Because she lived in another continent altogether - something her mother had arranged before she’d passed away-, he had written to say he would be picking her up by himself, via Floo Powder.

She’d thought the distinction that he'd be alone was a bit odd but said nothing of it. Instead, she’d made sure the fireplace hadn't been blocked, instructed her parents on what would happen (though her father had seen her travel by Floo Powder the summer after her first year at Hogwarts) and made sure her parent’s son had been placed in another room to avoid him traveling along with her by accident. “He should be here soon,” Kari said happily as her mother walked in with the last of Kari’s scarfs. Deidre Moore was tall, willowy woman with light colouring. She reminded Kari of the beautiful soft sunsets, with her light blond hair pulled up in a bun, wisps of it escaping it and framing her face.

“Found these in the wash,” Deidre said as she put them in Kari’s trunk. “Along with the container you put that leaf you've been carrying around in your mouth for the last month. Did you write up your report on it?”

Kari shuffled uncomfortably. The leaf in question was a Mandrake Leaf - one stolen from Professor Snape’s cupboards so she could begin the Animagus process.

Without registering. She could almost hear Hermione's disapproval. “I did,” Kari said quickly as she put the container at the bottom of her trunk, shuddering as she remembered the taste. She'd only just gotten that bitter taste out of her mouth. “No effects that I could see. Thanks, Mum.”

Deidre beamed at her daughter as she wrapped her arms around her. “Are you taking your broomstick this year?”

“Oh!” Kari glanced at the fireplace. “I am. It's upstairs, in my room. He should be here any moment though…”

Keith chuckled. “Well go on and get it. I very much doubt he'll leave without you.”

Grinning, she rushed upstairs, her long dark brown waves of hair trailing behind her. The house held mixed feelings for her now: not even two months ago, for ten agonizing minutes, she was sure she'd be asked to live with her real father, Sirius Black, freshly escaped from Azkaban and ready to have his name cleared.

It had not gone how they’d hoped, and when his only way to have his innocence proven escaped through their fingers, he'd been forced to flee and leave Kari behind. She told herself it was for the best, that she'd lived with the Moore’s for ten years and this was what was meant for her.

And yet, she wondered. She longed to know Sirius a bit more, and though she'd been gifted several weeks with him and Remus Lupin not too long ago, she missed him.

Her room was different from the one at Hogwarts: there was no canopy bed, no crimson red banners, no fireplace. This one was that of Kari as a child - light purple walls, white furniture, posters of hockey players. At the foot of her bed, a white trunk where her dolls and stuffed animals lived. Propped against it was her Cleansweep Seven, not the speediest of brooms but certainly one that suited her needs when it came to learning how to swerve and weave.

She had her eye on Chaser down the road, and would ask the Weasley twins to practice with her after the World Cup.

Glancing around the room once last time, she shut the room behind her and tilted her head. Voices were coming from the living room below, her mother's sweet laughter floating towards her. Heaving her broom over her shoulder, she ran down the stairs and skidding around the corner into the living room.

“Kari!” Arthur Weasley said with a broad smile on his face. “All packed up and ready to go? Everyone is anxious to see you. George has been bugging me all evening, Molly has made desserts and I hear there may be some Quidditch played before bed.”

Grinning wide, Kari ran into his arms. “Ready. I was surprised the twins didn't come with. I'd promised them a tour around the farm.”

A look of annoyance flew across Mr. Weasley’s face. “They pulled a little stunt with Harry’s cousin. I figured it'd be best to avoid another damaging confrontation with Muggles and refused to bring them along.”

Interest prickled in her belly as she imagined what they could've done to Harry’s horrible cousin. Knowing she wouldn't be able to keep the delight from her voice she turned to her parents and embraced them. “I'll see you next summer.”

“Or Christmas, if you ever decide we’re more interesting than floating Christmas trees,” Keith said with a wry smile.

Kari raised an eyebrow. “If you saw how cool they are, you'd be asking to stay there too. But we’ll see. I love you.”

“Be safe, darling.” Deidre said as she buttoned up Kari’s cloak.

Nodding, she pulled her trunk and the owl cage into the fireplace. She had sent her owl ahead earlier that day and knew he would find her at the Burrow. “My broom-”

“I'll take it,” Mr. Weasley said as he handed her a handful of Flood Powder. “Now remember-”

“Enunciate clearly,” she said quickly with a wink. “The Burrow!”

She managed to shut her eyes before the spinning started, though it did nothing to detract from the awfulness of the sensation. When it finally stopped, her eyes sprun open and she stared into the twinkling brown eyes of George Weasley.

“Took you long enough,” he said with a grin as he helped her with her trunk.

Kari laughed breathlessly as he took her into a hug. “Hello to you too.”

“You grew!” George said accusingly as he circled her, studying her new 5’5 frame. “What am I supposed to call you now?”

“I warned you against unpractical nicknames,” she said happily as Mr. Weasley appeared behind them. Holding out her hand for her broom, she smiled her thanks and sighed. “Where  _ is _ everyone?”

George grabbed her by the elbow as he pulled her outside where two tables had been put together. Kari let out a breath of surprise at the lit floating candles, the shocking amount of redheads at the table and -

“Harry!” She cried out as he turned and pushed off the table, followed by Hermione and Ron.

“Look who I found,” George called out good naturedly as he sat at the table. “Dad’s in the kitchen, Mum. Dessert time?”

“Dessert time,” Mrs. Weasley agreed as she stood, smiled kindly at Kari. “It's so good to have you, sweetheart.”

Kari blushed. “It's good to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me, if there's anything I can do to help-”

“You sit down and make yourself comfortable,” Mrs. Weasley said as George yanked her down on the seat to him.

Kari turned to him, grinning. “Hi again.”

“Bill, Charlie - this is Kari Black. The other unfortunate friend of Ron.” George called out to his older brothers.

Kari didn't miss the quick knowing look they shared, bristled uncomfortably and a bit irritated. “Dragons and the bank, right?”

Bill laughed. “That's right. I can finally die a happy man. On my gravestone, just put ‘the bank’.”

They were not at all what she had been expecting, especially Bill. When she thought of Gringotts, she thought of stuffy goblins and sour wizards. Bill, with his fang earring and long hair, was the opposite. She couldn't help but like him immediately.

Ron sat next to her as Mrs. Weasley came out with cakes so beautifully decorated Kari felt bad eating them. “Who are you cheering for?”

“I have a feeling that if I say anything other than Ireland, you may not take me,” she said. Kari accepted her piece of cake happily and dug in. Laughter flowed easily, and after she'd eaten more than she should've, Kari leaned her head on George’s shoulder and fell asleep.

*

Had anyone told her that to get to the World Cup she'd have to get up before the sun and walk in the freezing cold, she was sure she would've declined. She kept nodding off, and would scowl whenever someone would steer her in the right direction. To solve matters, George -who was in a bad mood thanks to the confrontation with mother over their merchandise before they left- simply put his hand on her arm and lead her gently, taking time to wrap her scarf around her neck when she shivered. He shouldered her pack as well as his, even when she half heartedly tried to protest. “Just shut up and walk, Black,” he said when she tried to grab it from him. “You're walking half asleep. Last thing we need is for you to fall down and with the weight of it, you'll be like a turtle the wrong way up.”

The image was too much for Kari, who let out a choked laugh before she fell into silence, wishing she had woken up with more time to down some coffee. She knew how fond the Weasleys were of tea and had brought her own supply from home. It lay safe in her bag, and with every step she stiffly took, she wished they'd get there so she could brew some.

“Who did your dad just call Porkey?” She mumbled as she squinted ahead.

Fred let out a roar of laughter as he joined them. “Portkey, you silly witch. A magic item to transport us to the Quidditch World Cup. Honestly, listen to you.”

Blushing furiously, Kari snuggled into her coat as she looked around the empty field. “Can't have sensible names, you lot, can you?” 

George sniggered as he made room for her next to him. “I thought you  _ read _ about  _ stuff _ like names and things.”

“Yeah, that's what I read - name and things,” she said dryly as she touched the soggy boot. Trying to relax, she looked at Harry and the handsome boy next to him. “Cedric,” she mumbled as the name tumbled from her lips.

Cedric Diggory looked up at the sound of his name and smiled. “I see you're starting to wake up.”

Kari felt her cheeks warm and dug her face into her scarf. “I have a feeling whatever is going to happen next will wake me up the whole way… And it won't be fun.”

“Just remember to close your eyes,” he advised as Mr. Weasley began the countdown.

Kari grunted her thanks and shut her up eyes, snarling a vicious stream of curse words as she was pulled towards the boot and then felt the horrible sensation of spinning, shoulders colliding into hers, moving too fast and then suddenly it stopped. Letting out a gasp, she collapsed to the ground as she lost her balance. Ron landed on top of her legs, yelping when she kicked him.

“What'd I tell you? Turtle on its back and can't get up,” George said happily as he stood shakily and held out a hand for her.

Kari glared at him before accepting his hand.

Later that evening, after her brain felt as if it would explode from overload, Kari found herself sitting in front of the fire outside their tent. The noises around the campsite became background sound, and for once she was at peace.

“You alright?”

She glanced up at George who was walking towards her with a biscuit and coffee. “I'm having a blast,” she admitted. “I can't believe you gave away your life savings.”

“We didn't  _ give them away _ . We made an investment.”

Kari snorted as she bit into her biscuit. “Are you already practicing what you'll say to your Mum?”

George blushed and grinned sheepishly. “That obvious?”

“A tad,” she muttered as she rummaged around her sweater before tossing him a bag.

He caught it easily and opened it, looking up at her in amazement. “Our Ton-Tongue Toffees. How-”

“No one ever suspects the sleepy girl,” she said with a wink, sipping her coffee. “I figured you could make a killing off them here. A quick fun preview before the real thing later on. People will remember them. The fake wands are genius.”

George stared at her, unable to say anything. When she raised her eyebrows at him, he shook his head and let out a huff of breath. “You're a sneaky one, you are.”

“I do try. Now go on, Weasley. Make some money.” She smiled at him, her belly warm as he returned a smile of his own. She sat there, silent, taking in the world around her. Nothing surprised her anymore, not the men in dresses they thought were robes, not the dancing leprechauns.

“Knut for your thought.”

Kari burst out in laughter as she looked up at Harry. “I don't know if my thoughts are worth that much.”

“Anything going on in that brain of yours is bound to be interesting,” he said with a grin as he sat down next to her.

She looked around her, feeling calm amidst all the celebration. “Did you ever think it would be like this? When you got your Hogwarts letter?”

“Maybe not my first one. But after a couple hundred of them came bursting from the fireplace at my aunt and uncle’s place, I knew nothing and to just… enjoy it.”

“And do you? Even with all the crap we've gone through?”

He turned those green eyes on her, smiling. “I do. Helps to have the company. Things seem less daunting.”

“Sirius says that.” The words spilled from her softly before she blushed. She looked up at him, at his rapt attention and felt her lips curl gently. “He tells me there is nothing too big that friendship can't overcome.”

“Someone should tell Wormtail.” It was a morbid joke, one that caused both of them to choke out a laugh.

Leaning on him, she looked up at the dusk sky and wondered if her father was right. With Harry at her side, a warm body on this cool night, she almost believed it.

 


	2. Chapter 2

She was still dreaming about the Quidditch World Cup and the fantastic match they'd just witnessed. Kari’s dream floated between it and a Quidditch game back at the Weasley’s where Harry would dart away chasing the Snitch, faster than she'd ever seen him. She was on her broomstick, calling out for the Quaffle when a Bludger headed her way and nearly knocked her clean of her broom. A roar escaped her as she clung on, looking desperately for Fred or George but she was alone on the field. She clung on, her fingers burning when she heard a loud bang, waited with a grimace for it to hit her and then -

Another bang.

Her eyes sprung open and she pulled her wand out from under her pillow, shining a light at the face of her assailant. George stood before her, pale faced, throwing a robe her way. “There's no time for a slow wake up, Kari. Something’s wrong, everyone’s outside. Hermione called you and -”

_ Bang! _

“George.” Kari jumped off the top bunk, landing on her feet with a thud. She looked around, saw fires outside the tent and narrowed her eyes. “What-”

“Something’s wrong. We need to go. Now.”

“Harry-”

“Outside, they're all outside-”

“George! Kari! Now!”

Mr. Weasley’s voice was the most panicked she'd ever heard him. Wand firmly grasped, she reached George and barely complained as he led her by the elbow. Once outside, her skin tingled as she looked around and felt magic, dark magic all around her. Pushing past Percy, she reached Harry, her eyes dancing over his stunned expression before looking at Mr. Weasley.

“We’re going to help the Ministry!” He yelled at the younger Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and Kari as Percy, Charlie and Bill sprinted away. “You lot, get to the woods and  _ stick together. _ ”

He raced after his eldest sons, towards the family floating in the air, circled by wizards in masks. Kari squinted at them, torn between helping the Ministry and keeping Harry safe.

In the end, he made the choice for her, pulling her towards the woods. “Don't even think about it,” he hissed at her at the look of fury on her face. “We need to get the others to safety.”

“Those are Muggles,” she ground out as she threw a look over her shoulder, the chaos around her clashing in her mind as she struggled to keep up with him as people stampeded by them. “Harry. Harry!”

Someone ran through them, knocking her to the ground and rolling her wand away. She heard him call her name frantically. “I'm okay!” Kari hollered in his direction as she scrambled for her wand. “Stick with Hermione, I'll be right there.”

But finding them in this herd of panicked wizards was proving more difficult than she thought. Gasping as someone kicked her in the stomach, Kari doubled over for a second before forcing herself to get up. The chanting behind her, where the Ministry still could not get to the Muggles was getting louder and the people in masks -  _ Death Eaters-  _ were closing ranks around the Muggles. She took a step towards them when she heard a laugh.

“Thinking of joining them? They'd welcome you, you know. You're a pureblood, as pure as they come.”

Kari spun around, wand raised high as she looked into the gleeful eyes of Draco Malfoy. “I would rather die first.”

“You may have your wish, should the fighting begin.” He drawled lazily as his eyes flicked behind her at the group.

“I'll take a couple with me,” she promised as she ground her teeth, pushing past him. “Maybe it'll be your Mummy and Daddy. Who would you have to hide behind then?”

He glared at her as she strode away. “Best hide that Mudblood of yours, Black. No matter how pure  _ your  _ blood is, it won't save the life of your friend, blood-traitor.”

“Better a blood traitor than a close minded fool!” Kari hissed, walking quickly into the forest. His threat made her skin crawl. He was right - Ron, Harry and herself had their blood to hide behind, it didn't matter if they were blood-traitors. Pure blood was turning into a rarity, the amount of wizards intermarrying with Muggles had gone up. Their blood alone would be too precious to spill.

Hermione however… Kari shuddered violently as she clutched her robe. She refused to believe a world where her friend would be killed over something as insignificant as blood when she was the brightest witch she knew.

Wishing desperately that her Animagus training was complete, she instead focused on looking around the forest. Witches and wizards ran in every direction, away from the chaos of the campsite.

“Kari, you bloody fool!”

She tripped at the sound of her name, a cry escaping her as she ran over to George. Fred and Ginny hovered behind him. “Where are the others?”

George reached for her, running his hand over her face. When he pulled it back, her blood was smeared on it. “You're hurt.”

“I'm fine,” she insisted stubbornly as she pulled away from his hand. “George, where are-”

“We lost track of them,” Fred said quickly. “There were too many people.”

Kari let out a curse. “I have to find them.”

“We need to stick together!” George snapped as he held her hand. “Don't go, Kari, listen. Those people, they're dangerous. I-”

“They  _ are  _ dangerous. I have to find him - them. Stay safe, I'll come find you.”

George stared after her, exasperation clear on his face as she raced away without a backwards glance. She forced herself to push forward, her head throbbing. It felt as if she'd been walking for ages, her legs heavy with the strain as she refused to slow down. She was in the thick of the woods now, the moon blocked out by the canopy above. “ _ Lumos. _ ”

She only had to search for a bit longer before she spotted a familiar red head. “Ron!”

“Kari!” Hermione cried as she rushed to meet her.

Harry followed close behind, eyes widening as he took in the cut on her temple. “You're hurt.”

“May have gotten trampled on a bit,” she admitted sheepishly.

Ron rolled his eyes. “Of course you did. Where did you end up?”

“On the ground, haven't you been listening?” Kari laughed as she rubbed her head absentmindedly. “You lot okay?”

“Yes. The Muggles… Are they?” Hermione trailed off, looking at Kari with big eyes.

Grimacing, Kari shook her head. “I'm not sure. The Ministry.. They couldn't get to them, when I walked away. I'm sorry. I-”

She broke off as Hermione looked over her shoulder. Kari tensed, eyes scanning the forest around them and as footsteps neared.

“Hello?” Harry called out.

“ _ MORSMORDRE!” _

She knew the spell before the green light erupted around them. The Dark Mark of Voldemort rose above them, from the area they had been staring at. Kari couldn't place the voice, it was not one she’d heard before, she was certain of that. She took a step forward before Hermione yanked her back with a panicked hiss. Frustrated, Kari shook her off and peered up at the Mark. “We have to go,” she muttered as her stomach sank.

“Harry,  _ come on! _ ” Hermione cried as she pulled him forward, explaining the now looming green skull above them.

They had barely taken a couple steps when popping sounds filled the clearing, surrounding them. Kari looked at the group of wizards, all with their wands raised towards them.

“DUCK!” Harry hollered as he pulled the others down.

Kari, unwilling to risk being harmed, shook free and stood.

“ _ STUPEFY!”  _ The spells came from all around them, bright red lights arching towards them.

Ron let out a yell, her name. Kari ground her teeth and hollered, “ _ PROTEGO!” _ It was the most effort she'd ever exhausted on a spell, the strain of keeping her shield up chipping away at her will as twenty different spells hit it. The spells bounced off, and Kari let out a groan as she lowered her head as she pushed more into her shield, arm shaking against the weight of the spells. She was vaguely aware of Harry calling her name and Hermione telling him to not touch her.

Just when she thought she could not hold on anymore, she heard a familiar voice screaming, “stop!  _ Stop that's my son!” _

Mr. Weasley rushed towards them, placing his hand on her shield as he reached her. “Kari. It's safe now, bring it down.”

She looked up at him wearily, looking at the wizards behind him. Part of her wanted to say it didn't  _ feel _ safe, but thought better of it. She lowered her wand, sagging as she let go of her spell. Mr. Weasley’s arms were around her, holding her up. “Are you alright?” He asked the others as they stood.

“Out of the way, Arthur.” Said the curt voice of Barty Crouch as he and the other wizards closed in on them. “Which one of you did it? Which one of you conjured the Dark Mark?”

His eyes flickered between them and then, just as she expected, fixated on her.  _ Thanks for that, Sirius,  _ she thought numbly. Kari felt her spine stiffen, her lips curl into a mocking smile as she raised her arm to wipe the blood from her nose. Mr. Crouch’s eyes narrowed.

“We didn't do anything!” Ron cried out angrily.

“Do not lie, sir!” He shouted as he kept his wand trained on Kari. “You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!”

“Barty,” a witch from behind him said softly. “They're just children. They'd never be able to-”

Mr. Weasley cut her off. “Where did the Mark come from?”

“Over there,” Kari jerked her head towards the spot where they'd heard the voice. “Someone was behind the trees but we couldn't see them. They shouted an incantation-”

“Oh, over there, was it?” The disbelief was clear on his face as he stared at her. “Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how the Mark is summoned, young lady-”

Kari rolled her eyes. “It's a spell. Therefore, an incantation must be said. I had assumed, sir, a powerful wizard such as yourself would know this.”

The other wizards had already walked towards the spot Kari had indicated. “You seem very apt at powerful spells, Miss Black.” Crouch said in a clipped tone.

“Hogwarts is a school that teaches such spells. Again, not sure if you're aware of this or not.” She knew she was pushing it, could see the accusations forming on her lips but before he could say anything, Amos Diggory had cried out about someone Stupefied by one of their spells that had bounced off her shield.

They watched as Diggory came back with a small figure in his arms. For a horrible second she thought it was a child, and the thought that her spell to protect her friends had endangered someone else hit her. Then she noticed the towel around the figure and a gasp escaped her.

Winky, Crouch’s house elf, had been the one Stupified.

Crouch shook his head. “No. That can't be.” He tore off towards the spot where she had been found. Kari hesitated before following him. He glanced at her, angrily.

“There's no way your elf could've done it,” Kari said as she looked around. “You need a wand to conjure the Dark Mark.”

“Yeah. And she  _ had _ one,” Diggory said.

Kari stopped in her tracks, glancing after Crouch who had gone deeper into the forest. Stunned, she crossed back towards the others with Crouch close behind.

Diggory pointed his wand at Winky, and woke her. The elf gasped and began rocking back and forth. Kari watched in silence as the interrogation began, Harry’s wand found in her possession. And then, what she had known would happen all along once she'd seen Winky in Diggory’s arms - Crouch’s proclamation of clothes being presented to Winky as punishment. Her wails echoed around them, horrible gasping and tears streaming down her face. Kari looked up at the Mark, her mind reeling. Winky had had Harry’s wand, and they had used it to see the last spell cast - which had been the Dark Mark.

It made no sense. The voice was wrong, why would a house elf, once so very devoted to her Master, risk casting it just for fun?

“Kari!”

She looked up at Mr. Weasley as she beckoned her to him. Kari went, not glancing back at the clearing of the Mark as they walked away. Hermione’s rant fell deaf on her ears and her mind raced.

None of it made any sense.


	3. Chapter 3

_ Padfoot, _

_ I'm sure by now news of the Dark Mark at the World Cup has reached you now. We're all safe, a little shaken by what we saw but safe. The grown ups are putting on a brave front for the children but they don't fool me. I see the fear in their eyes when they look away, I have read enough of the War to know what this could mean. Of course, You-Know-Who is still gone but if his supporters are blatant enough to make a show then who's to say they're not out there actively trying to bring him back? He's not dead, we know that much. Whatever is left is but a fragment, but one that with the right magic could be put together again. The thought is terrifying. Harry would be his number one target, if there is to a be a war, it'll be one where they rule by fear. What better way to start than by killing off the Boy-Who-Lived, the symbol of hope? All he did was survive, but that's enough. _

_ I also know he's sent you a note about the dream he had. Is it possible it was only a dream? The idea of Wormtail at his side, no matter how useless he is, is a little frightening. His scar hurt, and that hasn't happened since the first year, but You-Know-Who was right there at the school. _

_ I don't know. I don't see how it can be a dream, it's too much a coincidence for that happen and then the Dark Mark. All I know is that I'm glad I didn't promise my adoptive parents to stay out of trouble this year. I knew it would find me. Must run in my blood. _

_ Stay safe. _

_ K. _

_ * _

The end of the summer came as it always did for Kari - in a blur. She'd spent the night before the start of term organizing her trunk, looking through her list and putting her name on books. Mrs. Weasley had bustled in, giving her her leftover gold that she had taken out of Kari’s vault in order to buy her supplies. Kari had stared at the bag before shaking her head and telling her to keep it. Mrs. Weasley had turned a bright shade of red, laughing as she told her not to be ridiculous.

“I'm not being ridiculous,” Kari had said stubbornly as she placed her broomstick in her trunk. “You've been amazing and welcoming and it's the least I could do.”

Mrs. Weasley lifted her chin. “We don't need your charity.”

Wounded, Kari looked up. “I didn't mean-”

“We asked you to come because we consider you family and-”

Snapping her trunk shut, Kari stood. “I consider you family too. Come on, Mrs. Weasley. You went into that vault, you know there's enough gold in there to last me two lifetimes. Keep it, and if you don't feel comfortable using it for everyday stuff, then let's use it for when you have us over next. You know I'm a sucker for food, and feeding me can't be cheap.” At the conflicted look on Mrs. Weasley's face, Kari grinned. “If you don't take it, I may accidentally forget it here. And if you send it with an owl, it may get confused and bring it back. And-”

“Alright, alright.” Mrs. Weasley cut her off with a smile. “You're impossible to win an argument with. You just talk over them. But… please. Take some of it. For spending money at Hogsmeade. You never know what you'll need this year.”

And so Kari considered that a victory as she settled into a cab the next morning, wedged in between Harry and Ron as they made their way to King’s Cross. Mrs. Weasley hugged her tightly as she said goodbye, a smile on her face. Kari beamed at her, grateful for all the love this woman gave her willingly.

She hurried ahead of the others to an empty compartment, waving hello to old classmates before bumping into someone. Her apology froze in her throat as she looked up at the eyes of Draco Malfoy. They stared at each other for a beat of a second, both preparing their war with words they knew would cut deep. “Your Father weasel out of the Ministry’s clutch yet again?” Kari sneered, eyes narrowing. “I suppose he's relived. He'd do poorly in Azkaban. For all his show of power, he is a weak human being.”

Malfoy’s jaw set into a firm line. “I suppose you'd know all about the temperament required in Azkaban, wouldn't you Black? How's your murderer father? Still on the run?”

“Please. As if your father is innocent of murder. He's slippery enough that he's not been caught, but mark my words, Malfoy; when the moment comes that he can use you to further his cause, he'll use it.” Kari said with a dark laugh as she moved past him.

“Your father-”

“Would lay down his life for mine,” she hissed over her shoulder, eyes blazing. “It must kill you to know I speak the truth. My father is ten times the man yours is.”

She walked away, feeling lighter than she had last year when Malfoy taunted her with the knowledge of her father. The twisted lie that they'd uncovered, one that proved that Sirius Black was not a killer.

Not that she'd use that truth with Malfoy.  _ Let him think Sirius is a killer, more capable of his father, _ she thought with a dark smile.  _ Let him think his daughter is capable of defending those she loves. _

Kari walked into the Weasley twin’s compartment, waving her hello to Lee Jordan who waved wildly at her. With a deep sigh, she settled next to George and fell asleep as the train took off, to yet another year she knew would be anything but boring.

*

“Did you know about this?”

Kari slanted a look at Hermione, dipping her bread into the gravy before placing it delicately into her mouth. Next to her, George grinned down at his plate. “Care to expand on what I may or may not know?”

“House elves! Here! At Hogwarts!” Hermione snapped at her, glaring at her she tore off another piece of bread.

Pausing, she glanced at Harry who was shaking his head slightly. Sighing heavily, Kari said, “are you telling me you  _ didn't?” _

“I- what? No! Of course not!”

“Are you sure?” Kari said with a twinkle in her eyes, rolling her tongue into her cheek. “I could've sworn I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History_.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes. “You know you haven't.”

“Goodness, you do seem more well informed on what I know tonight.” At Hermione’s steely glare, Kari rolled her eyes. “Come on, Hermione. How did you think they maintained a place like this?”

“With magic!” Hermione said shrilly as she blushed angrily.

Kari let out a bark of laughter. “Well sure. The house elves do use magic.”

“Every time you sneak off to the kitchen, you create more work for them and-”

Offended, Kari frowned. “I'll have you know that I'm on good terms with most of the House Elves.  _ And  _ I like the leftovers.”

“Except if they offer you a fresh batch of cookies,” George muttered under his breath, grunting playfully when she smacked him.

Kari grinned sheepishly. “This one house elf -Milly, I think her name is- she makes these  _ amazing  _ sugar cookies. I want to kidnap her and beg her to make them for me forever.”

Harry laughed before disguising it as a cough at the look Hermione sent him. “I suppose this is not a big deal to you,” snapped Hermione as she turned her attention back to Kari. “You purebloods. You just don't see-”

“I'm going to stop you right there.” It was Kari’s turn to snap. She looked at Hermione coldly. “Since when have I ever just been  _ some pureblood?  _ It's not my fault that both my parents were pure,  _ I  _ didn't have a house elf growing up and  _ if _ I had, it would have been treated a million times better than Dobby ever was.”

Hermione scoffed. “You say that now. But had you grown up in the wizarding world, you would have grown up with drinking the pureblood mania.”

“You're right. With as poor as Lupin is, I'm sure my guardian would have a house elf just so I could flaunt my pureblood status. I'll have to make him feel guilty about denying me that next time I write to him.” Sarcasm dripped from every word as Kari spat each one out. “In fact, why am over here? By your logic, I should be wearing silver and green and high fiving Malfoy about how amazing the blood coursing through our veins is.”

Ron coughed softly, trying to find a break in the conversation to steer them away from it but neither girl heard him. Hermione rolled her eyes. “I'm just saying that being a pureblood, you don't have to worry about certain things like the rest of us. Isn't that right, Harry?”

“He's a half blood,” Kari snarled before Harry could answer, sending him a withering glare. “Is this really how we're going to start of this semester? For Merlin’s sake, if I could I would drain my blood and have blood just as impure as yours. I'd be smarter for one. I'd have figured out a way to avoid this whole argument that  _ I didn't want to have.  _ Ron, pass the pudding.”

“Slave labour.” Hermione hissed as Kari took the pudding from Ron, who was mouthing at Kari to stand down. “That's what made our dinner tonight.”

Kari groaned. “Then don't eat. If you really feel that way,  _ don't eat.” _

Hermione didn't. Kari, now angry and indignant, helped herself to seconds.

Later that night, as they all went off to bed, Kari found herself in front the fire in the Common Room. Annoyed at Hermione for her foolish stance. Annoyed at herself for second guessing herself when she had done nothing wrong.

“Are you trying to scowl the flames into submission?” George said as he sauntered down the stairs, a grin on his face as he rested his arms on the back of the couch she sat on.

Kari twisted around to look up at him. “ _ Do _ I take advantage of the House Elves? When we go bother them for food?”

“You know you don't,” he said easily. “You never demand that they make you food, or boss them around. The food’s already there.”

“I never even thought about it.” Sighing, she rocked her head back and looked up at George’s twinkling eyes. “You're enjoying this.”

He tucked his tongue in his cheek. “And you're overthinking it. Hermione's a bright witch but she's wrong about this.”

She mulled the words around in her mind before nodding. Knowing she would be more mindful with the House Elves, she shoved that thought away and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you down here?”

George shrugged. “Knew you'd be down here fretting. Figured I'd come keep you company, and eventually try to steer you towards the Triwizard Tournament because you haven't said a word about it.”

“Couldn't have if I tried, with you and Fred going on about it.” She snorted and rolled her eyes. “What about it?”

“Hermione may be the brightest witch, but she i reckon she won't help with trying to use a bit of mischief to enter.” He flashed her a grin as she stared at him, her eyes unreadable. “You know we're going to do it with or without your help.”

“Did Fred send you to sweet talk me?”

“A bit. You  _ do _ know us so well.”

Kari shrugged. “An Aging Potion is not likely to work. Yes, I heard you say that it's just the impartial judge that you'd have to fool, but guess what, dummies? They're bound to have student records. Think of something else.”

“We could fool the records.”

“Oh, that'd be fun to watch. Do that. Please.”

George glared at her grumpily. “You  _ could _ help.”

“I could,” said Kari lazily as she smiled. “But then you may actually get selected and you might die-”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“And what fun would life be then?” The thought was more sobering than she cared to admit, but she schooled her face and feigned boredom. “What would you do if Fred got picked? Or what if you got picked? There can only be one winner, one Champion from Hogwarts.”

“Whichever one gets picked -and wins- would pour most of it into our joke shop.”

Kari blinked in surprise. The answer was much to sure and quick to be thought of on the spot. “You've thought about this.”

“We have,” he told her softly. “We have a plan, where we'd like it to be… The world could do with a bit of laughter.”

She thought of her father, suddenly. The sound of his voice as he threw his head back to laugh, the way his eyes sparkled and the corners would crinkle as his smile split across his face. “I thought you lot were just…”

“Being us?” George finished for her, a sneer on his face. “You're not the first to not take us seriously.”

She flushed, both out of anger and resentment. “You know that's not true. I just.. I don't know. It makes sense, now that you say it. But I didn't think you have a… I don't know, a  _ business plan _ .”

“It's almost like we've thought about it,” he said with a bit of sarcasm in his tone, but he was smiling again, and Kari knew there was no venom in it.

After a beat of silence, she looked at the flames and muttered, “I could be an investor. I'd bet on you.”

He flinched before blushing. “I… Don't take this the wrong way but… No. If we fail, I want it to be on us. I don't want to waste anyone's money, let alone yours.”

“It wouldn't be wasting,” she insisted stubbornly. “If anyone could make a profitable joke shop, it's you two.”

George rolled his eyes. “All the same… No. Not yet. Maybe down the road, that's a road I'll explore. But for now… It needs to be our thing.”

Kari sighed. “I suppose the only way to help you get your gold would be to help you trick the dumb judge then.”

“It would help,” he said happily. “As long as you promise not to enter once you've figured it out.”

She snorted again, unladylike and loudly. “I very much prefer to stay alive. I don't need the gold or the glory. Plus I've already promised loads of people that I'd stay out of trouble this year. For the first time at this school, there will be an event that forbids us from getting involved. I'm excited.” When he laughed and stood, she thought of his earlier statement and asked, “you said you'd pour most of it into the joke shop. You both keeping some of it for yourselves?”

“Yeah,” George said mid yawn. “We talked about it and there's small stuff we'd like.”

“Such as? I need Christmas present ideas.”

George rolled his eyes. “You think you're so sneaky. Fred wants his own place, so he wants to save up for that.”

“Well that's useless to me,” grumped Kari as she leaned against the cushions. “And you? Or is it something just as useless?”

George hesitated. “I reckoned we could travel a bit, once were older. Egypt was pretty wicked, and I want to see what else the world holds.”

Kari tilted her head, studying George. When he didn't laugh, she smiled. “How very mature of you. Plus I reckon different cultures may have different things you could incorporate into the shop. You two will have fun.”

“I'm sure we would,” he called over his shoulder as he retreated up the stairs. “I was thinking of inviting this girl who is oblivious to everything rather than Fred though. Name rhymes with Tari Nack. Bright girl, but oblivious. Reckon the world may open her eyes a bit more. Really, I feel like I need to enter and win just to open her eyes a bit more.”

She gaped at the staircase, slack jawed for what felt like ages. Her face felt warm, and after a while her cheeks hurt from grinning. “I would  _ definitely  _ invest in us,” she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

“Kari. Owl.”

She looked up as her owl Hermes flew in during breakfast and landed in front of her, a letter attached. Kari worked it free, giving him a bit of bacon as reward. He hooted happily, nipped at her fingers playfully before flying off. Glancing down at the envelope, a jolt of excitement coursed through her as she saw Remus Lupin’ neat scrawl. “It's from Moony!” She said in hushed tones as she tore into the letter.

_ Moonshine, _

_ I heard about the Quidditch World Cup. No funeral has been announced so I can only assume you and your friends are still alive. I am confident that you did as you were told and stayed hidden until the authorities arrived - _

“Well we  _ did _ ,” said Ron grumpily. “Wasn't our fault that we were right where the git shot the Mark into the air.”

Kari sent him a quick grin before continuing.

_ Though knowing both your parents, I know the likelihood of that fantasy is non existent. This is where I remind you, yet again, to stay safe. I know the Triwizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts, and I know that you're enough your father’s daughter that you'd want to enter just to be part of the fun. We’d rather you alive, so please don't. That goes for Harry as well. _

_ I hope this letter finds you well. I received word from your new DADA teacher, I reckon you'll like him. Hopefully he can meet your impossibly hard standards and impress you. I want believe this year you'll actually be challenged by what you're taught, although I know better and know that you've been reading and practicing magic more advanced than you should be. _

_ I'll wrap this up, as I've not had very much sleep and I feel like my sarcasm is funny to no one but me. The moon just started its cycle and I did not realize how dependent I had become on Snape’s potion. Turning without it now is even more punishing than before. _

_ Until next time, _

_ Moony _

Kari looked at the last paragraph before looking up at the teacher’s table, where Snape was eating his breakfast in silence. “He's not making Moony’s potion anymore,” she mumbled dully.

“I can't say I'm surprised,” sighed Hermione. “Dumbledore can't force Snape to make it if he's not a teacher here, and it's not like Snape is going to do it out of the goodness of his heart.”

Harry scowled. “ _ Lupin _ didn't set Sirius free.”

“That's just small details to Snape,” snorted Ron darkly. “You know how he is. Blimey, he's hated both of you since the start just for being Sirius’ and James’ kids.”

Kari turned to look at Hermione. “Have you read up on it? The Wolfsbane Potion? What a stupid question. Tell me what you know.”

Hermione’s brow furrowed. “It's extremely complicated and you need to be precise. A small mistake can take his life.”

“I'm surprised Snape didn't ‘accidentally’ mess up,” Kari mumbled under breath as she hoisted her bag over her shoulder, shoving the last of her lunch into her mouth.

“Where are you going? Don't tell me you're going to the library too, bad enough Hermione is spending every waking second there,” Ron groaned.

She sent him a grin. “Don't be silly, I need to pay a visit to an old friend. I'll see you lot in class, wouldn't miss our first DADA lesson. I'm hoping he'll teach up how to transfigure someone into a ferret like he did Malfoy. That'd be handy. Oh, don't give me that look,” she snapped at Hermione playfully. “I would only use it in extreme cases.”

“I have a feeling a lot of cases would become extreme,” Hermione said while she rolled her eyes.

Kari laughed. “Am I that obvious? When you go to the library, look up more on the Wolfsbane Potion, will you?”

“You could go  _ with  _ me,” said Hermione.

“There's something I need to take care of,” Kari said firmly and set off.

The dungeons were a place where many people dreaded going, but not Kari. Severus Snape was a prickly, vengeful sort of person who held grudges if someone had wronged him. Before the end of her third year, her only sin had been to have Sirius Black as her father. And then she'd helped him escape, denying Snape’s revenge. When he’d accused her of it, she'd played dumb and dared him to prove it. She knew it had been the end of whatever tolerance he'd had for her, and then she'd spoken of her mother and realized that perhaps there was a small amount of duty he felt towards her.

She'd have to use it, and hated herself for it. Kari told herself if it eased someone's suffering, having Snape’s wrath was small price to pay.

The look of hatred he shot her as he entered her classroom and found her leaning against his desk, she'd expected. The loathing that's soon replaced it nearly had her looking away, but instead she shot him a smirk. “I need your help.”

Snape didn't acknowledge her. He strode up to his desk, methodically rearranging his supplies.

Kari let out a huff of breath as her knees shook. If she had been a religious sort, she would have prayed for braveness and determination. Instead she summoned strength to get through this without getting burned too bad by the man she had slowly come to trust. “I need to know how to brew the Wolfsbane potion. More than that, I need a place to do it.”

“Then you've come to the wrong person. I will help you with neither,” he snarled as he shot her a venomous look.

She raised her chin, narrowing eyes that she wished desperately were more like the woman who had been his friend instead of someone who had more than likely made his life unbearable. “I could hurt him, worse, kill him if I brew it wrong.”

“It sounds to me like you know this is a foolish plan then, unless you are going off exactly what the book says.”

“The recipes are made better by knowledge,” she insisted, reaching for his hand. “There's no one I know who knows more about potions than you.”

He jerked his hand away at her touch, narrowing his eyes. “Are you just stupid or oblivious?”

“Probably a bit of both,” she admitted with a smile. “Wish I knew if I am like my mother in that regard.”

Snape froze. “She had more sense than you. Tori Lowry would have never crossed me and expected my help.”

Kari felt a lump form in her throat. “Did you ever cross her?”

Silence fell around them. Snape finally drawled, “yes.”

“Did she forgive you?”

“She is… was a far better person than I am.”

“Then help me. Not for me, or Lupin. But for her. I just need your instructions once, and then a place to brew it once a month for a week. I promise my presence won't interfere with your work. She wouldn't have wanted her friend, any of them, to suffer.”

Snape’s eyes bore into hers. “You are insufferable.”

“I do try,” she said solemnly.

“Once. If you do not grasp it then, then you are on your own and his death is on your hands.”

She released the breath she'd been holding and beamed. “And I can brew it here?”

“Out of my way and do not expect any small talk.”

“Wouldn't dream of it.” She felt as if she could float, dance around his desk and hug him. Instead she inclined her head in thanks and began to walk away.

“Black.”

Kari felt her spine stiffen as she turned back to face him. “Yes?”

“If you ever use your mother’s memory against me again, you will be sorry.” This was no mere threat, could see anger dancing in his eyes.

She nodded once. “Of course. Thank you, Professor.”

If getting Lupin the help he needed had been her one free pass with Snape, she told herself it had been a worthy goal, a solid victory.

She couldn't help but feel sorrow at losing what she had begun to see as friendship, some respect, and perhaps yet another link to her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever to hammer out and it really is only a transition piece. Between work, school and getting "healthier" (who knew quads COULD cry?), getting any extra brain activity to write has been hard.


	5. Chapter 5

The thought of her first Defence Against the Dark Class led by an Auror quickly vanished Snape from her mind. She hurried towards the classroom, knew she'd be the last one in and hoped that Hermione had saved her a seat. Rounding the corner, she yelped an oath she swerved to avoid the backside of Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody. He glanced back at her over shoulder as she straightened, hair spilling over her face as it reddened. “Professor,” Kari said breathlessly. “Sorry about that. I-”

“You'd be Karina Black, then?” Mad-Eye barked as she fell into step next to him. “Look just like your father. Lupin mentioned that.”

Kari raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure _why_ Remus would have thought to put that in his letter to Mad-Eye, but instead of asking she smiled sweetly. “A little less deranged, hopefully.”

He chuckled. “He also mentioned you were advanced than most of your classmates. I have a feeling you will grasp this lesson quickly. Unfortunate that it needs to be taught, but useful to know. I wouldn't have had a job without them.” He let out another gruff laugh before ushering her in.

Kari hurried over to Harry, beaming as he moved his books over for her. All things considered, nearly knocking her teacher over didn't seem to have put her on his shit list. She had barely taken her books out when he told them to put them away, and she immediately peeked up. Magic had always come easy to her, and the idea of _practicing_ magic rather than reading about it had her interest.

And then he started talking about the Unforgivable Curses. He may not have called them that by name, not to begin with but she knew. She knew them all, had read about them during her second year as she fell deeper and deeper into a hole as she tried to find information about her father and found only Darkness.

None of it true, that she knew now. But the books did not hesitate to speculate what curses her father had inflicted on others.

She watched, stunned, as the spider he used to demonstrate was cursed to obey his every command. Then tortured, its limbs arching in different directions as it endured pain. And then -

“Right… anyone know any others?”

Kari broke from her stupor, glancing at Harry before saying, “no. No, don't-”

But Hermione was raising her hand, and in that moment Kari hated her for it. She knew what would be next, could imagine the bright green light that would accompany it.

_Do you know what I hear when the Dementors get near? I hear my mother, moments before she's killed. I hear it every single time they're near, her death. Nothing else._

Gritting her teeth, she narrowed her eyes at Mad-Eye as he glanced at her, at her hand clenched around Harry, who seemed to understand someone was coming.

_“Avada Kedavra!”_

It was blinding and yet she refused to look away. She watched as the spell hit, the spider rolling onto its back and skidded towards Ron, who all but threw himself off the chair. Kari kept her eyes trained on the spider and felt as if she could weep. James and Lily Potter met their end with the Killing Curse, their lives extinguished by a spell so unforgivable that the soul was forever changed. Harry had faced it, had survived it, the only person to do so.

The-Boy-Who-Lived indeed.

It's the spell she had intended to use last year, on her father, back before she knew the truth. Now, having seen it first hand, she felt ashamed for even considering it. How many people had met their end at the hand of the Killing Curse? How many notes did she have on it, in the notebook she’d researched spells to end her father’s life.

Mad-Eye was staring at her as he dictated notes and she cleared her mind, her face.

Knew that he had guessed, correctly, that she out of all of them was curious enough to research these curses in depth.

Kari clenched her jaw as she dipped her quill, sneaking a glance at Harry from under her lashes. He seemed to be staring at the parchment intently, as if he'd never seen it before. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she nudged his shoulder and was rewarded by a weak smile.

“Black.” Mad-Eye’s bark at the end of class has her spine stiffening as she walked towards the door with her friends. “A word.”

She let out a slow breath, jerking her head at Ron as she walked back to Mad-Eye stiffly. They stared at each other before he walked around the class, ensuring the glass container containing the remaining spiders were secure. “You seem tense. These spells exist, you lot need to know what they do.”

“Any idiot with the ability to read knows what they _do_ ,” she snapped, swallowing down the anger that bubbled at the pit of her belly. “I don’t have any problems with knowing them. But some of these people, they don't… this is the worst they've seen.”

“If today is the worst they've seen of this world, then they're very lucky,” said Mad-Eye as he turned both eyes on her. “I can't imagine you've seen too much.”

Her mind flashed back to her time since she got here, remembering all the things Harry had seen and all she had been able to do was be there for him. All the late nights with her nose in a book, her wand practicing the spells she dared not utter and yet… she knew she'd use every single one of them if it meant keeping her loved ones yet.

Remember that bright green light and how she had intended to use it on her father.

“I've seen enough,” she murmured.

“I bet you have. Your father-”

“Never used any of those spells, no matter what the Ministry says,” she snarled defensively. “He's not a Death Eater, he didn't kill Pettigrew.”

“Course he didn't,” he said easily. At Kari’s look of surprise, he smiled darkly, making his face look more gnarled than usual. “You forget I used to be a Death Eater hunter? I know which were and weren't part of that order.”

Kari let out a huff of breath. “But then… if you knew-”

“The powers at the Ministry had the man they believed was responsible. They had eyewitnesses, they had his cooperation. There was nothing for them to suspect. Your father’s blood and his family automatically made him a prime target.”

“If that was the case, every pureblood family would be under scrutiny just because they toed the line.” Kari spat angrily, shaking her head. “My mother-”

“If you're about to hold your mother up as a beacon of good and all that is right in the world, I suggest you do your homework more thoroughly.” His words were sharp and sounded a bit like admiration, respect and perhaps a bit of awe.

Kari felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. “Just because she was in Slytherin… the books, they don't mention her. She _was-”_

“A remarkable witch. And if you have an ounce of her intellect in her, and I have a feeling you do, you'll bite your tongue _and do your research._ ”

Stunned momentarily, she could only stare. His words rang in her mind, a ripple of doubt that grew with every second. “You knew my mother,” she said finally, staring intently at his face.

Mad-Eye nodded once. His face was dark, as if he was mulling his next words carefully. “She was a capable witch. Her mind was always ten steps ahead of most people’s. She could ensnare you and you wouldn't know it until it was too late. Victoria Lowry savoured the long cons, Black. A Mistress of Deception, of…” He broke off and let out a bark of laughter. “Well. I suspect you want answers. I am not the person to give them.”

“You clearly have them,” she snarled angrily. Her world, once again, was being tipped and she was powerless to stop it. “Who was she, then, if not the woman I thought?”

He raised a shoulder. “You have resources, Black. Use them.”

When he said nothing further, she turned on her heel and barreled from the room. Kari rushed past students on the stairway, barely registering Harry’s voice calling her name. She knew she should check on him, should reassure him, should comfort him. And yet she couldn't find her voice, not when she couldn't swallow past the anger in her throat.

Who was Victoria Lowry? Why did the history books end with her death? Perhaps Mad-Eye had it wrong, she thought desperately.

And somehow, as doubt settled in her mind, she knew she would be in for a surprise once the truth revealed itself.

Shoving the hair out of her eyes, she reached outside and took a deep breath. If last year had taught her anything, was that not everyone was as it seemed. Sirius was not the mass murderer everyone thought, so couldn't it be possible that Mad-Eye’s twisted perception of her mother was also skewed?

Clinging to this thought, she heaved a sigh and made her way back inside.

*

“Wake up, Karina.”

She pried open one eye, narrowing it as she spotted Hermione looming over her bed. “If you call me Karina again in that disapproving tone, I may jinx you.” Yawning, she stretched and swung her legs over her bed. Glancing outside, she let out a curse as she noticed the dark night sky. “What time is it?”

“A little after seven. You missed dinner, I brought you some toast.”

At this, Kari raised an eyebrow. “You brought me food.”

“I did.”

“Food made by… what did you call it again? Slave labour? What are you up to, Hermione?”

Blushing, Hermione scowled. “You're a nightmare when you're hungry. And this way you won't bother the House Elves by going to the kitchens.”

“Should've brought me more than bloody toast then,” said Kari as she bit into her now cold toast. “I'm definitely going to the kitchens in a bit. Don't worry, one of the House Elves is kind enough to leave an extra plate out for me in case I run by.”

“Unbelievable,” muttered Hermione before clearing her throat. “I actually wanted to talk to you about that.”

Kari sighed. “You're not going to get me to stop going. I always say thank you, I ask if I can help _and_ if there's no one there, I help myself.”

“Good to know you treat the help good,” said Hermione dryly before letting out an annoyed sigh. “But there is something I want to show you.”

She stared at the badge that Hermione shoved under her nose, trying and failing to hide the amusement off her face. “Spew?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “You and Ronald, honestly. Not spew. S.P.E.W.”

“Enlighten me,” Kari said as she threw on a sweater. “I don't have the mental capacity to guess at this very moment.”

“The Society for Promotion of Elfish Welfare. I have an outline, an agenda. Ron is treasurer, and Harry is secretary.”

Kari smiled brightly. “Sounds like you're covered then!”

“You're Vice President,” said Hermione quickly. “You're brilliant with people. I know I came down hard on you, being pureblood and all. But just think, because you _are_ a pureblood, you could reach people who I couldn't. You'd be helping those who don't realize they need help, creatures like Dobby who want freedom but don't realize it yet.”

“Let’s say this takes off. And years down the road you have Elves who don't know with this new found freedom. Do you have a plan set in place for them?”

“Well… no, but-”

“It's one thing convincing people like me who realize that freedom should be for all. But my blood isn't going to help sway Elves like Winky who want nothing to do with freedom. Start small, Hermione. Your conviction is admirable but your movement will crumble if you are shouting from the rooftops that they should be free.”

Hermione fell silent. “I have short term goals,” she said meekly after a pause.

Kari smiled, kindly for she could see how much this meant to Hermione. “Good. Those will be good starting points. Get them in writing. They'll show people you have a plan and aren't just looking to upset the balance. It's crap, I know, but magical society has been in place for much longer than you and I have been around. Logic and planning will change things. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a dungeon and a Potions Master who isn't going to be thrilled to have me in his space for the next couple hours.”

Leaving Hermione to her thoughts, Kari hurried to the dungeons, her book bag swung over her shoulder. Crystal vials chimed against each other with every step, a reminder of who she did this for. “Evening, Professor,” she said quietly as she slid inside the classroom and found Snape already waiting for her next to a cauldron.

“Get your notebook out, and whatever materials you brought. I want to get this over with.”

She lifted her chin up slightly, a retort on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she took a steadying breath as she pulled out the seven vials she'd purchased especially for this task. Snape worked next to her silently, placing ingredients on the table. Kari made quick notes as he began his instructions, her book propped open in front of her. It was quickly marked on, useful tips and tricks to make the process quicker without sacrificing the quality of the potion. True to his word, he showed her all she needed to know and nothing more. He answered her endless questions, correcting her technique with minimal venomous criticism.

“Have you thought how you're going to get this to him daily? It needs to be brewed the day of for it to stay potent enough to keep his mind sane.”

“I was thinking of using a charm to freeze time until he activates it,” she said softly as she peered into the cauldron. “I've been working on it since we talked about you helping me with this. The closer I do this every month to the full moon, the better. That way he can have a whole batch all in one trip but only drink a vial a night as needed.”

“A fairly advanced and forgotten charm,” drawled Snape as he inspected her work.

Kari shot him a quick grin. “I'm all about efficient spells, no matter how forgotten. There. That should do it. What do you reckon?”

Snape shrugged. “It shouldn't kill him, so that's something. Well done.”

“A high praise, coming from you.” Kari stretched, blinking at the clock on the wall. It was nearing midnight, at most she had been expecting this to last an hour or two. “I have a question about my mother, if you don't mind.”

He tensed. “I did not promise any-”

“I know, I know,” she said quickly as she ensured the cork went on tightly. She waved her wand over each vial, satisfied as the liquid inside seemed to freeze. “Something… someone said to me. My mother. Was she smart?”

“Sometimes too much for her own good. Why?”

Kari shook her head quickly. “Did she deceive people?”

Snape’s brow furrowed suspiciously. “Why?”

“Because I think I may have a very different view of her than people have,” she said, her words heavy with exhaustion. “I don't know anything about her. I joke about her being in Slytherin but that's never stopped me from thinking she was a good person.”

“She was.”

“But did she ever hurt someone? Was she actually a good person or is that your opinion because she was your friend?”

“She was both,” said Snape tersely. “She may have done things you will no doubt disapprove of, but no one is perfect.”

Kari frowned. “Like what?”

“That,” said Snape as he collected the remaining ingredients, “is something your werewolf can answer. Or your father.”

Frustrated, Kari ground her teeth. “They're both beyond my reach. You're not.”

“I am not here for a history lesson on what your mother may or may not have done. Whoever you've been talking to didn't know her as well they think they do.”

She knew the end of a conversation when she heard one. Knowing she'd get no more out of Snape, Kari forced herself to smile and bid him goodnight, carrying her precious cargo in her bag. Making sure the corridors were clear of teachers, she made her way to the owlery. Hermes hooted unhappily as she woke him, giving her owl instructions to fly carefully. He looked at her indignantly.

She brought out a piece of parchment, her quill and ink and quickly wrote:

_Moony,_

_I hope this helps. Don't worry about the cost, this first one is on Snape. I pulled the guilt card and it worked. I already have a contact working on getting me supplies for next month. The Black family gold can finally be used for some good._

_Love,_

_K._

She tied her note to Hermes’ claw, petted his head and watched him take out, much more gently than he'd ever done before. Kari stared at his retreating speck, feeling much more at peace than she had at the start of this night.


	6. Chapter 6

Defense Against The Dark Arts turned into it's fairly normal self and then it didn't. Mad-Eye informed them that the Imperio charm would be performed on each one of them, and Kari found herself narrowing her eyes when he told them Dumbledore wanted them to know what it felt like.

She didn't see eye to eye with Dumbledore on many things, and this did not help her views that perhaps sometimes he played a little too fast and loose with his students.

But then, maybe it wasn't Dumbledore’s orders at all. Mad-Eye could just be saying that, to get them to shut up and do it. But what would he get out of it? True, it would help them know what it felt like. But what did a bunch of fourth years need to know what illegal curses felt like? It's not like they were in the middle of the war, not like they would be subjected to it.

She watched, her anger increasing, as her classmates one by one fell to the Imperio curse. Nothing dangerous was asked of them, just foolish things that none of them would do under normal circumstances. Some of the students laughed at the absurdity of their classmates doing these these things, but Kari only felt a silent rage.

And then-

“Black. Come on up.”

She gritted her teeth and glared up at Mad-Eye. “No.”

His eyes narrowed. “This isn't optional.”

Kari shrugged carelessly. “My mind is not something I am willing to surrender to advance my education. Fail me if you must, but I will not be participating.”

She was treading dangerous water and she knew it. Learning from an Auror, no matter how bonkers he was, was something she'd been excited about. Nothing against Remus, but she'd been anxious to try spells in order to protect herself.

Invading someone's mind, having  _ her _ mind invaded, was not something she was willing to practice, no matter how well she knew the spell.

Mad-Eye held her stare a second longer, a look of disgust on it. “See me after class. I will not tolerate insubordination in my class, no matter who your parents were.”

“My father, you mean.” She couldn't keep the venom out of her voice. Beside her, Ron hissed her name in warning. “You know nothing of my family.”

“After class. We’ll discuss your… resistance to learning after class.”

He moved on to the next student. People around her avoided her gaze, and she knew she had lost a bit of respect in her peers. Mad-Eye was the height of cool, a teacher showing them stuff that most grown ups would keep them from.

_ Fools, _ she thought bitterly. At Harry’s name being called, she balled her fists and sat through watching her best friend’s mind being ordered against its will. He did better than most, and Mad-Eye had him do it several more times.

At the sound of the bell, people talked excitedly about their lesson, what it felt like to being controlled. Kari shuddered, keeping her eyes on the desk.

“Be good,” said Harry softly as he brushed his hand over hers. “And try not to antagonize the teacher. It's not all too bad.”

“What a comfort to know that having your mind controlled is ‘not so bad’”, she snapped without any real heat. At the look on his face, she sighed. “Go on. I'll catch up. Try to eat something, you look like hell.”

She waited until the room was emptied to look up, only to find that Mad-Eye was staring at her, arms crossed. “If you're as brilliant as people say, I've yet to see it.”

“My work is-”

“Your written work is exceptional, yes, yes. But you know that's not what will protect you in a fight.”

Kari smirked darkly. “Lucky for me, I'm not looking to get into any fights, Professor.”

“No one is.” Mad-Eye jerked his head once. “Now take out your wand. Or would you rather face this unprepared?”

Tension coursed through her as she stood. Holding her wand loosely at her side, she raised her chin and said, “I meant it. If you need to fail me, then-”

“ _ Imperio!” _

Kari’s limbs loosened in a way that would've been troubling had she had control of her mind. She knew she should be upset, angry even and yet she could not conjure up any of those feelings.

_ That wasn't so bad, was it? Good. Now. Empty out your book bag. _

She reached for her book bag, watched her fingers take hold of her bag strap. Lift the cover. Her traitorous hands began to turn the bag, and while she couldn't understand why when everything else felt so wonderfully freeing, a coursing hot rage ran through her.

“Get OUT of my  _ head _ !” She snarled and felt a force emit from her, strong enough to push the desks around her away. Papers flew in every direction, and the force hit Mad-Eye. He stumbled, surprised by the power she'd just unleashed. Breathing heavily, she conjured a shield around herself and bared her teeth at him.

He straightened himself, staring at her with a slightly agape mouth. “Bring your barrier down.”

“Like hell I will,” she hissed as her wand hand shook. Her limbs felt like rubber, could feel blood trickling down her nose. The metallic tang of it reached her mouth, and she licked her lips nervously. “I warned you. My mind is not some book you can just rifle through. It's  _ mine _ and I'll be damned if you just  _ invade it _ .”

“Stand down, Black.” He let out a laugh, disbelief and wonder laced in it. “You're, what? Fourteen?”

“So?”

“So thats damn advanced magic and you know it. You just did  _ wandless magic. _ Nearly knocked me on my ass. Well done.”

She had been expecting a lecture, punishment, perhaps even a visit to Dumbledore’s office. Certainly not praise, not the look of amazement on his face. “Plenty of students are more advanced than I am. Hermione-”

“Had her mind played with for the sake of a grade.” He snapped at her but the disgust that coated it wasn't directed at her. “Every single one of them lined up like meat for slaughter.”

“You  _ told them to! _ ”

Mad-Eye rushed forward as fast as his leg would allow, stopping short of her shield. “And if Dumbledore told you the only way to save Potter would be to sacrifice Weasley, would you?”

Kari clenched her teeth, shaking her head angrily and wincing when pain hit between her eyes. “That's different.”

“Is it? Constant vigilance. I’ve been harping on about that and not a single one - besides you- thought to say ‘wait a bloody second’, did they?” He walked around her, humming appreciatively as he poked her shield and it held.

“They're just kids,” she said in a low voice, pain weaved in her voice.

Mad-Eye turned his one good eye on her. “So are you. And yet you managed to surprise not once but twice today. Highest grades mean nothing if you can't protect yourself in the real world. Your mother knew that. Your father, the daft idiot, knew it without realizing it. And whether you want to admit it or not, the past few years here have taught you that  _ school is not the only way to be prepared _ .”

“For  _ what?! _ ” She spat the words out, angry and tired and feeling violated in a way she couldn't explain. She'd always prided herself in her wit, having someone turn it inside out, ordering it without a second thought, left her shaken to her core. “There is nothing to be prepared for, he's gone, the danger is gone!”

“If you believe that, then you're a fool. And you don't strike me as a fool.” Mad-Eye said simply, studying her.

Kari closed her eyes momentarily, wiping the blood from her nose. “Don't  _ ever _ do that again.”

“Wouldn't dream of it. Getting knocked on my ass is not something I expected today, nor do I think you had it out to attack a teacher. You need to learn, Black. It's crucial that you are vigilant.”

She raised her face up at him, eyes dark. “I don't like you.”

“You're a damn liar. You're angry, and you're right to be. Now imagine how it was back then, your mind being told to do something you had no control to stop. You're angry now, someone you trusted pushed the limit. I didn't do it to hurt you, I did it because you need to know what it's like. To prepare. And now you do, and if I know you, and I think I do, you'll work on never being caught unprepared when it comes to your mind again.” He grunted as he pushed away. “Bring down your shield. I don't want to have to wash it away and have you hold two things against me today.”

Kari lowered her wand, but not until he put away his wand. She sagged as her energy left her, feeling as if she'd aged beyond her years. Wondered how it was possible that kept happening. “I'm not going to jump to your every command, not in class, not ever. I may not have the magic you have… yet. But I will not ever stand to have… its mine. My mind is mine.”

“Does it feel like it isn't?” Mad-Eye asked blandly.

She sent him a look of disgust before reaching for her bag and sprinting out of the classroom. Kari made it to the end of the hallway before her composure broke, the anger washing away into despair. Rounding the corner, she spotted George, his face bright with laughter as he joked with someone she couldn't see. As if pulled by some field, he glanced in her direction and began to wave. She caught a glimpse of his face turning dark before she ducked into an empty classroom, and began to take gasping gulps of air.

Still she felt like she was drowning.

“Hey, what's going -  _ Kari.”  _ George said her name urgently as he rushed to her. She'd taken her hands over her ears, eyes screwed shut and face pinched. “Come on, Black. Talk to me.”

Instead, she turned her face into his chest and inhaled deeply. It grounded her, made her feel a little less scared and confused and panicked. “Tell me something true,” she whispered hoarsely as her mind raced.

George tilted his head in confusion. If he was worried for her, he didn't say so. Instead, he placed a tender kiss on top of her head and murmured, “I’m pretty sure I have better puns than you.”

Warmth rushed through her, and it hit her belly. She let out a choked laugh and tilted her head back to look at him. “That's a damn lie and you know it.”

“Agree to disagree,” he said with a smile, but his eyes scanned her face, where the ghost of whatever had spooked had begun to ebb away. “Fine. How about… you're the strongest person I know? You both terrify and impress me? I wish you would let me carry some of the burden for you?”

It was tempting, it was all so tempting. She offered him a half smile. “Those all sound like questions to me, Weasley.”

“Take your pick, they're all true.” He brushed her hair behind her ear and asked, “better?”

“For now,” she joked as the fear danced in her belly, though not as potent and terrifying as it'd been moment before. She could still taste blood on her tongue, could feel her mind slipping into a spiral descent. “Just… school work. Got overwhelming.”

He could have called her out on her lie, and she knew it. She watched his face as he thought about it, knew he saw the pleading look in her eyes to let it rest. And even though he wanted to push and send some creative curses in the direction that had made her seem so scared, he swallowed it down and grinned. “Then follow me, brown eyes, and let me take your mind off things.”

“I have to…” she searched for a lie, and found she didn't have the strength. It struck her that George’s arms were still wrapped around her, and if she leaned up she'd be able to brush her lips against his. Startled by how much she wanted to, she pushed away shakily and offered him a weak smile. As easy as it would be to find comfort in him, it would be wrong and she knew it. Whatever she had with George, it was his friendship she valued. The one thing she feared she'd lose if they weren't on the same page. Or worse, if she used to escape whatever she was running from and hurt him in the end. “Fine. But nothing that will land us in detention.”

George rolled his eyes. “Aren't you turning into the perfect little bore.”

Kari shoved him playfully, her stomach rolling with want and fear. “Yes, but I'm  _ your _ perfect little bore. Come on, then. Maybe you'll show me some Weasley Wheezes products.”

He held out an arm for her, making grand talk and wild gestures to make her forget the horror of whatever still hid in her eyes.

And though it wasn't enough to, it was a start.

*

“Your dad’s back in the country.”

Kari looked up from the book she'd been reading - one she'd enchanted the cover of, from prying eyes, she had no desire to explain to anyone why she was reading on how to protect her mind. She had not told anyone, not her father or Remus or Harry about the invasion to her mind at the hands of Mad-Eye. She'd been a shadow of what she'd been in his classes, and from his end she received nothing. She was not called on and she did not participate unless it was to hand in homework. It suited her just fine, though Harry could not understand her change during class. Pushing those thoughts away, she shut her book and said, “is he?”

“Got a note from him earlier. I told him about my scar hurting, remember? He thought he needed to be back… I didn't want him to,” Harry said after a beat, looking sheepish. “If he gets caught-”

“He won't,” Kari said firmly as she stood. “He's crafty. He evaded dementors while they were on school grounds. He's smart, that Sirius. And… if your scar is hurting, we may need him around.”

“I guess… I just… he shouldn't have come back. My scar’s hurt before.”

Snorting, Kari shrugged on her best robe and straightened her tie. “Yeah. When Voldemort was on the back of someone's head. Go on, Harry. We need all the help we can get.”

Not looking entirely convinced, Harry sighed. “I suppose. We better get a move on. The other schools will be arriving soon.”

Kari grunted in response. “Don't see why we have to prim and pamper for them. I'm delightful with my stained robes and messy hair.”

“Don't let McGonagall hear you,” snickered Harry as she followed her out of the Common Room. “She'd been barking orders at everyone to straighten up. Which… hold on. Your hat.”

Kari turned around to raise an eyebrow at him. “I thought I had it on alright.”

“Slipped forward while you were reading,” he told her as he adjusted it, and running his fingers through her hair. “There. Better.”

She stood, frozen, as he brushed his fingers across her cheek.

“What?” He said after a second.

She gave her head a vicious shake, causing him to cry out a warning as her hat slipped again. Shoving it back straight, her face burning, she marched forward as the memory of his fingers on her skin made her heart skip.

The entrance of the other schools was much less eventful than she thought they would be, which was something considering the carriage of flying horses and a boat in the lake. All she could think of was of Harry and his bright eyes on her.

_ Silly,  _ she thought later as she poured herself some of the French pudding Hermione recommended. If anyone was daft enough to notice the way she froze around him, it would be Harry James Potter.

Who, she noticed, glanced at Cho frequently enough to make her stomach sink.

“Are you even listening?”

“When there's food? You know that's unlikely,” Kari muttered as she shot Ron a look. “What are you on about?”

Ron sent her a funny look. “Where have you been all evening? You're just… lost.”

Kari shrugged. “Just a lot to take in. Mostly wondering what the recipe to that pudding was, it was amazing.”

“Is all you can think about is food? Viktor Krum is here!”

She flicked her eyes over to the Slytherin table where the Durmstrang students had been placed. Malloy smirked at her, obviously pleased by the seating arrangements. “So he is. He's just a-”

He let out a disgusted snort. “Honestly. You and Hermione. Start a new club. The ‘We Clearly Don't Appreciate Talent’ one.”

“Catchy name,” she said dryly. “I’d rather not. She's keeping me busy with the one she's already heading.”

“Shhhh!” Ron hissed as Harry grinned, sneaking a peek at Hermione who had missed her jab. “She's been pleasant all night, not a single comment about slave labour. Don't ruin it.”

Rolling her eyes, she finished the last of her pudding and listened as Dumbledore gave his speech about the Tournament.

“An Aging Potion ought to do the trick then!” Fred said happily as he spotted her. “Good thing we know an excellent brewer.”

“My services come at a steep price,” she told him as she narrowed her eyes.

George’s lip pulled up to one side as he smiled. “I reckon we can live with the cost.”

“Information,” she told them with a smile of her own. “Who's avoiding you?”

Fred glanced at George who shook his head once, firmly. “That… is beyond what we can pay. Anything else, and it's yours.”

“It's what I want,” she insisted. “You can trust me.”

George frowned at her. “I don't doubt that. But I don't want to get you caught up in this.”

She was about to snap back when Hermione yanked her arm. The feast had come to an end, and everyone was filing out. Harry and Ron had gone ahead, scouting for Krum. George sent her a look that very clearly said  _ stay out of this.  _ As if he didn't know her. 

“They wouldn't be stupid enough to try to trick the goblet, would they?” Hermione asked as they made their way upstairs.

Kari let out a single  _ ha _ . “Have you met them? Of course they are.”

“You can't help them do it. You'll be in trouble.”

“As if that's ever stopped me before,” said Kari with a flash of a smile before waving away Hermione’s concern. “Calm down, Granger. They won't let me help.”

“They won't  _ let _ you?”

Shrugging out of her robe and shaking her hair loose, she said, “I wanted some information in exchange for my help and they refused me.”

“Are we talking about the same Weasley twins? The ones who will stop at nothing for fame and glory?”

Kari jerked her head once as she slipped into her nightgown. “The very same. It's like they don't know me. I want to know what they're up to.”

“Ron… he mentioned he reckoned they could compete. Him and Harry.”

Surprised, Kari frowned. “Harry isn't  _ that _ daft. Besides, if the twins can't figure out a way to do it, I don't think we have anything to worry about with our two idiots. Bless their hearts.”

She climbed into bed, and bid Hermione a good night, ignoring her reminder of an early morning with a loud snore. When the dormitory fell silent, Kari looked up at the canopy as her mind raced, thinking about her father and her mind and all the things she was unable to control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Weekend!


	7. Chapter 7

The joy of the day, of her favourite holiday and it's delicious food was soon replaced by disbelief as Dumbledore called Harry’s name.

As a Triwizard Tournament Champion.

For once words escaped her, her face stunned as she swiveled to look at Harry sitting next to her. He had an identical look on his face, as if the world had been yanked from underneath his feet.

“Go on, Harry,” muttered Hermione as Dumbledore called his name again.

Kari gave her head a firm shake, remembering Hermione’s words the night before. Harry looked at her in despair. Grabbing his hands quickly, she fixed her eyes on his and murmured, “it's a misunderstanding. Go tell Dumbledore that you didn't put your name in, that the Goblet’s made a mistake, that you  _ can't  _ compete. He'll know what to do.”

She watched his throat work as he tried to swallow and answer but couldn't. He stood, her hand falling away as he walked towards the front. As he left the Great Hall, chatter began to rise around her.

“How did he do it?” Ron asked. His voice was not all curious, there was venom within it.

“He  _ didn't. _ ” Kari snapped as she looked around the table.

“Oh, you reckon the Goblet just spat out his name for what, a laugh? Don't be stupid, Kari. His name coming out of that Goblet was no mistake.” Ron snarled at her.

“I'm not saying it was,” she hissed back angrily. “I'm saying Harry didn't put his name in that Goblet. Maybe an older student did it on a dare or for a laugh. You know Harry didn't do it.”

“Do I? All that gold and fame to boot!”

Kari let out a humorless laugh. “Right. Because if there's anything the Boy-Who-Lived is lacking on is  gold. And don't call me stupid. There's more knowledge in my little pinky than in that brain of yours, you buffoon.”

Ron’s face darkened. “Is that how you feel?”

“About Harry or you being stupid? Because the answer is yes. To both. How can  _ you _ even consider than he would've put his name in? Are you mad? It's Harry!”

“Exactly. It's Harry. Who always seems to be in the thick of it except this year the fun was going to be had without him.”

She looked at him as if seeing him for the first time, repulsion on her face. “Fun? Is that what you call what he's been through? You're a fool, Ronald Weasley.”

Standing without waiting for an answer, Kari hurried out of the Great Hall, ignoring Hermione’s call. She burst into a classroom, sealing the door behind her and lashed her wand out. The desk went flying, crashing into the wall. Letting out a wordless scream, she whipped her wand at the window and watched as glass shattered and exploded in every direction. She did this again and again until no object in the room was left, only then did she sink down amongst the ruin and began to sob.

There was only one Champion. There had been deaths.

Harry was only a boy. A bright boy but nowhere near advanced to compete against those who had three years on him.

But she was, she realized with a start. The wreckage around her was proof of it. She had studied advanced spells all along, had worked over the summer to broker connections within the wizarding world so that she may have easier access to books and spells that she could not get her hands on here at Hogwarts. The Black name had weight and where she'd once loathed to use it, she had begun to weave it into her own. Had traveled to Knockturn Alley where she had gotten raised eyebrows and then, after she had talked her way in, that head bow that meant she could ask for anything as long as she had the gold to back it up.

And she did. She had felt awful, deceiving the Weasley’s while they slept and she had snuck out and ran this errand. Knew it was dangerous to be seen in the corner of that district, where the wrong idea could be gathered. And yet, she'd done it because she knew that no spell was too dangerous if it meant keeping her friends safe. Kari knew she could handle the magic, the books in her trunk, the connections that Harry would've been ashamed to have.

She was not ashamed. Not when she could use it for good.

Standing shakily, she lifted her wand and muttered, “ _ reparo.” _ The room began to right itself again, no evidence of her outburst to be seen. She unlocked the door and walked upstairs, to her dormitory while thoughts arranged themselves in her mind.

Harry may not have the magic he needed to win this, should he not be able to talk his way out of the Tournament.

But she did. And she'd be damned if she let him fail only because some magic was too advanced, and perhaps, too dangerous.

*

Kari found herself up well before dawn, standing at the bottom of the staircase that led up to the boy’s dormitory. Not that she'd never been in there before, Christmas waited for no one after all. But this time it was different. This time she was about to go up there and offer her help to Harry, should he not been allowed to duck out of the Tournament.

She had gotten back late from her wanderings, and by the time she'd arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room there had not been a single person awake. It suited her just fine, she was sure her face had been worked up and anyone who had looked at her would have deemed her mad.

“Better get this over with,” she muttered as she rolled her shoulders and bounded up the stairs silently. Pointing her wand at herself, she muttered a spell and watched as she became invisible. Satisfied with her work, she cast a glance around before slipping into the dormitory.

Ron’s snores greeted her before she saw him, face down on the pillowcase and arm flung over the bed. She very nearly smiled before she remembered his words from last night.

Shifting her gaze away from him, she crossed the room and found herself at the foot of Harry’s bed. He lay face up, his untidy black hair just as messy here as he slept. His right hand twitched slightly and she wondered if he dreamed of Quidditch.

Standing there over him for a tad longer than she'd consider normal, she felt her heart melt. Here lay the idiot boy who could not seem to dodge danger. The one she'd been drawn to before she knew of their shared past except for a couple pictures in her album, who she'd deliberately stayed away from at the start lest she get too involved.

Now she knew had gotten too close, too involved, and there was nothing she could do now except keep him safe.

Her mouth fixed itself in a firm line before she leaned forward to shake him. “Harry.”

He woke instantly. Harry’s eyes sprung open, flicking back and forth as he looked around for the source of the noise. “Hello?” He murmured softly as he began to reach for his wand.

Kari reached out to stop him, laying her hand on his wrist. “Just me, mate.”

“Kari?” Harry’s mouth dropped as he reached for her with her other hand, following her arm up until he reached her face.

Grunting as he pawed at it blindly, Kari muttered the counter spell to the Vanishing spell. Harry gaped at her. She grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and handed them to him. “Are you still a Champion?”

He glanced over at Ron quickly before nodding once.

Kari’s eyes shut briefly. Though she had come to accept that this would most likely be the case, for magical contracts were nothing to sneeze at, she had hoped that perhaps they could make Harry an exception. “Alright,” she said as she jerked her head. “Then let's go.”

“Go?” Harry scrambled out of bed.

Kari spun around, her robe flying behind her as she made her way to the door. “You've got five minutes to get dressed. Then it's time for training.”

She wondered whether Harry could call her mental and then go back to bed. It's what she'd have done. Harry’s footsteps down the stairs caused her knees to shake with gratitude. She'd given him no information for many reasons - the rules said the Champions were to do this without help, even though they got it anyways. She didn't want anyone overhearing and going to snitch to a teacher - or worse, to another Champion.

“Kari, it's not even five in the morning,” he said as he yawned.

She flashed him a quick grin. “That should tell you how serious you should be taking this if I'm up this early. Come on, we should get started.”

“With what?” He muttered as he scrambled after her.

Saying nothing, she led him down several corridors before stopping at an empty classroom. Easing the door open, she jerked her head at him. She cast a simple Repelling spell at the door, should anyone get near or try to come in, would instantly wonder why they were there and walk the other way.

Kari let out a sigh before rubbing her nose. “I read up on the Tournament. They upped the age limit because there were too many deaths. They figured seventeen year olds could handle not dying with the magic they've learned.”

“And I'm three years behind,” murmured Harry miserably.

“But I'm not,” she said softly as she twisted her wand between her fingers. “Not three years behind, anyways. I… last year, when I still thought Sirius had betrayed your parents, I learned spells beyond what Moony was teaching us. I felt like I need spells that would protect me, spells that I could cause harm with if it came to that. And then I found out Sirius wasn't who I thought he was and I thought I would stop learning but… I didn't. I don't want to. Because I feel like the danger hasn't passed and I won't be caught unprepared. I bought books and learned spells that I'll be seeing in our seventh year, maybe beyond. And… if you're willing, I'll teach them to you.”

Harry stared at her, rubbing his neck. “You're slightly terrifying, you know that?”

“Only slightly? I'll have to work harder then. I have a reputation to uphold.”

He laughed. “I don't want to hurt anyone.”

“They'll be wanting to hurt you.” She said it before she could help herself, and hated watching the realization on his face. “But that's okay. Because you don't have to sink to that level. I can teach you to protect yourself, utility spells. They'll keep you alive.”

Harry nodded once. “Go on then. Teach me.”

She grinned wildly before rolling her shoulders. “Remember the Dueling Club that went horribly wrong?”

“How could I forget?” Said Harry dryly.

“Let's start like that. Face me, wand at the ready. You know defensive spells now, I'll show you how to put more power into them. I want you to try to stop me too.”

“I don't want to hurt you,” he said quickly.

She swallowed the laughter that bubbled at her throat. Instead, she nodded solemnly and said, “I'll be fine. Ready?”

He was not. On the count of three, he sent a Disarming spell her way that she easily deflected. She raised her wand and sent spell after spell his way, watched as he stumbled with each blow until finally he fell, exhausted. “Blimey, Kari.” Harry gasped as he sat up, breathing heavily. “How do you-”

“Practice. Focus.  _ Want _ . You've got to mean the spells, Harry, otherwise they're just words.” She snapped as she reached him, helping him up. “Raise your wand. Merlin’s balls, your form is awful. Arm straight, firm. The wrist has to be flexible. Think of the spell before you say it, what you want it to do.”

“I  _ am!” _

_ “You're not!”  _ She hollered back as she spun to face him. “You tried to  _ disarm me _ . Are you insane? You may as well have asked to take my wand, it's that ridiculous. My wand is my source of power, I'm not about to let someone  _ take _ it from me off the bat. Your protection spell is flimsy, your stunning spell is weak.  _ Again. _ ”

They did this, for nearly an hour, vicious spells back and forth until finally, satisfied with his progress, she raised her hand and halted the lesson. “I think I've knocked you on your ass enough for today. Go get some breakfast.”

“You're awfully bossy today,” he grumbled as he rubbed his back.

Kari took to steps to him, touching her brow to his. “I'm trying to keep you  _ alive _ . If being bossy is what it takes, I'll be bossy. I'm not losing you.”

Frozen for a second, Harry cleared his throat. “I'll try my very best to not go anywhere.”

“Unacceptable.” She said with a dry laugh. “Sirius would skin me alive if something were to happen to you.”

“It's not your job-”

Kari raised her eyes to his, silencing him. “It is. Because you're my best mate and I'll be damned if I don't keep you alive. Now go on. Go get some breakfast.”

Harry walked away, sending her a smile over his shoulder. She forced a brittle smile before shutting her eyes as he closed the door behind him. She hadn't realized how much she'd advanced, how the rest of her mates were truly younger than she felt. Critiquing Harry, she had to remind herself that for all his brushes with death the last couple of years, he had had luck on his side.

She refused to fall back on luck only.

The only person she'd count on was herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay! But the end of the semester is here and I do so love what's coming next! Thank you for sticking around.


	8. Chapter 8

Her restraint continued to impress her. It was the only thing that held her back as she watched a stray shot from Malfoy intended for Harry hit Hermione square in the face. Instead of rounding on him like her blood called for, she rushed to Hermione and watched through wide eyes as her front teeth enlarged at an alarming rate. “ _Arresto!_ ” Kari hissed through clenched teeth as pointed her wand at Hermione’s mouth. The growing stopped, though not before they had grown to a grotesque size. Snape emerged from his dungeon, greeted by shouting from Malfoy and Harry. At Snape’s glance at Hermione and his dismissive comment, her blood all but sizzled. She began to follow Hermione to the hospital wing but Snape called her name.

“Just where do you think you're going?” He drawled as he held the door open for her.

Incredulous, she gaped at him. “To the hospital wing.”

“I believe Miss Granger is more than capable of finding it by herself. Inside. Now.”

“You're mad-”

“ _Now,”_ he repeated dangerously. “Or you'll be joining Potter and Weasley for detention tomorrow.”

It was enough to halt her, if only because she was startled to find they had landed themselves in detention. Fixing her brows into a scowl to rival his, she walked back into the dungeon and sat next to Harry. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ron glare at his books.

Snape had barely finished telling them to brew their antidotes to be tested at the end of class, when a knock interrupted their preparation. An interruption in the form of Colin Creevey, telling them of Harry being needed for pictures for the Tournament. She could hear Harry all but grind his teeth next to her as he gathered his belongings. “Look pretty,” she muttered under her breath at him, laughing softly as he shot her a glare.

Alone, she worked on her antidote with a focus she didn't know she possessed. She wasn't particularly worried about not poisoning anyone, with any luck it’d be Malfoy who was tested with her antidote. The thought made her laugh to herself as she added in her last ingredient, the potion let out a pleasant hiss and she revised her book with her notes for future use.

“Black… _Black.”_

Kari clenched her quill tightly, imagining it was Malfoy's neck and enjoying the thought entirely too much. “Shouldn't you be worrying about your antidote? Looks like if you try it, you’re bound to sprout another head. Who knows, maybe that one will be less of a prat.”

“Reckon Potter will make it to the first task?” Malfoy asked delightfully as he carelessly tossed in a whole leaf. Kari cringed inwardly as the potion sputtered. “Maybe this will be the year the Boy-Who-Lived finally dies.”

She spun around in her chair, a mocking smirk on her face. “You do recall I’m more than alright at Transfiguration right? Did you enjoy your stint as a ferret? What do you say we try a quieter animal next? Maybe a dung beetle. That seems more up your alley.”

Before Malfoy could reply (though his face had gone white and she felt satisfaction at that), Snape called out, “eyes forward, Miss Black, or that’ll be five points from Gryffindor.”

Kari smiled darkly at Malfoy, mouthing “ _dung beetle”_ before she turned around. She saw Ron hiding a smile as he chopped up some insects. Bored, she peered at her potion before bringing out a vial, carefully depositing some of it in and bringing it up to Snape.

“Feeling confident you won't accidentally poison anyone?” Snape asked as he inspected the potion.

“Had you told me you'd be testing it on Malfoy, I wouldn't have done so well. Alas, I like everyone else here enough to not kill them so… yes. Fairly confident.”

Snape made a noise as he narrowed his eyes. “You chopped up the bezoar instead of leaving it smaller clumps?”

She shrugged easily. “It makes it easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients, and makes for a shorter brewing time.”

“And the leech juice?”

“Just a dash, instead of the quantity it required. Too much, I reckoned, would be counterproductive to trying to stop the poison as excessive leech juice can be poisonous. Not knowing the kind of poison, this seems like a safer bet. A more toned down medium that will still counter any potion you can brew up.”

“Not any potion,” murmured Snape a his face flashed darkly. Kari wondered what he was remembering, the look on his face was pained beneath the usual contempt. He quickly schooled it back to his usual dislike and said, “you are taking a potion written in a book, with very specific instructions and modifying it. The book is not there just for reference.”

“Yes, well. I seem to recall a certain Rolodex with several modifications on potion recipes. I’m not being reckless or lazy, I didn't cut corners because I didn't want to brew the potion. Whether you believe it or not, I rather enjoy potion making… even with your not so constructive criticism. The potion is safe and I reckon safer than any potion you're going to get from anyone here.” Kari let out a sigh at Snape’s unconvinced face and said, “if you doubt it so strongly, test it on me.”

His eyes lifted from the potion and settled on her face. She thought of nothing else but the quality of her potion, of her confidence in her work. “Is your life enough of a motivator to do well?”

Kari’s grinned. “Well I rather enjoy my life so… yes. I dare say it is.”

“What about… the life of a friend?” He saw her stiffen, her mouth set into a grim line. “Ah. There it is. That cockiness gone, your confidence vanished.”

Kari’s stomach turned unpleasantly. “It's safe. Test it on me, there's no reason to have someone go through being poisoned to knock my ego down a peg.”  

“Weasley.” Snape called out softly. The room had gone silent. “Are you confident in Black’s brewing capabilities?”

She couldn't bear to turn around to look at Ron. A prat he may be, but he'd always warned her of minding her tongue around Snape. And now, because she fancied showing off a bit, he would be the one to drink her antidote.

She had really wanted it to be Malfoy.

Not because her antidote would fail, she wasn't cruel enough for that. But for an antidote to work, there had to be poison, and she didn't want anyone she cared about to go through it.

“Fairly confident, sir.” He said at last, his voice low.

“She's brewed up an antidote, and yet didn't follow the instructions as instructed by the very book you've been following. Still confident?”

“Begging your pardon, Professor, but when has she ever followed instructions? She's still top of our class, even with her… modifications.”

It was not the answer Snape had been looking for. “Up here. Now.”

“Snape, don't. Let me drink the poison. It's my antidote.” Kari begged under her breath.

He ignored her as Ron joined them. She could feel the eyes of the whole class on them. “This is a rather simple Choking Poison. Fairly self explanatory. Should Black’s antidote work, you'll survive to tell the tale.”

“Ron-” Kari breathed as she touched his arm helplessly, forgetting her anger from the past couple weeks.

Her glanced at her, nodding slightly. “It's alright.”

Kari held her breath as he downed the poison. Instantly, he began to gasp for breath, coughing and sputtering as he clutched his throat. Without waiting for Snape, she yanked her antidote from his hands and tilted Ron’s head back as he sank to his knees, forcing his mouth shut. Seconds ticked by and then the only sound in the room was Ron’s ragged but even breathing.

Kari let out a shaky breath before resting her hand on his chest, where his heart beat furiously. “Had I left the bezoar in clumps, the antidote would've taken twice as long to kick in. Too much leech juice, and his throat would be in fire as it burned his esophagus going down. I know what I'm doing because _you taught me well._ Do you want me to apply myself or would you rather I sit in your class, another drone that does what a stupid book tells them? Tell me now, because I won't brew something just so you can poison my friends again, all in the name of learning.”

The bell rang. The class sat, frozen in their seats until finally Snape barked, “are you deaf or just stupid? Class dismissed.” Chairs scraped the floor as students rushed out.

Kari helped Ron up, wiping his forehead with her robe. “You alright?”

“Good thing your antidote worked,” he croaked as he smiled weakly.

She let out a snort as she followed him to their belongings. “Oh, ye of little faith. My potions always work.”

“Black.”

Kari cussed as she reached her desk. “No offense, Professor, but I would much rather go ask Malfoy to Hogsmeade than stick around to talk to you.”

“The potion. That you brew monthly… next week. The full moon is approaching.”

She turned around, face twisted in confusion but Snape had already retreated into his study. She stood there a moment longer, wondering why he would remind her if he truly despised her and Moony as much as he did.

*

The weeks that followed were a blur of nastiness. From Sirius’ letter to Harry about wanting to speak to him face-to-face (she had anxiously waited for a note from him, asking to speak with her as well if only to see her face but nothing has come. She knew Harry had a lot more on his plate than she did, and his problems needed to be addressed when all she wanted to hear was whether he missed her) to running into Rita Skeeter at Hogsmeade while she made her way to the Three Broomsticks, her days at Hogwarts had accomplished a permanent scowl to make its home on her face.

Her guard was already up when it came to Skeeter. She had published a story about the Champions (though that was generous - mostly it was a piece selling lies about Harry) which had made good manure filling for Herbology. Her plants bloomed beautifully and it irked her that garbage journalism was the answer to her less than ideal performance with plants.

So when she very nearly ran into Rita Skeeter, Kari had apologized politely and started making her way.

“Kari, isn't it?” Skeeter said sweetly.

She took a deep breath. “To my friends, yes. You can call me Miss Black. Good day, Miss Skeeter.”

“That's Black as in Sirius Black? The-”

“Escapee from Azkaban, the very one. But you already know this. Surely your investigative skills didn't miss that little fact,” said Kari through clenched teeth.

Rita laughed prettily as she raised her hand to her glasses. “My, and just as fiery as your father.”

“I didn't realize you knew anything about my father’s personality,” Kari said with a roll of her eyes. “He's quite a quiet, easy going fellow, you know.”

Ignoring this jab, Rita stepped toward her (Kari’s wand hand twitched involuntarily) as she said, “with your experience with the Dark Arts, Harry Potter is quite lucky to have you. Will you be training him for the tasks?”

“My experience with the Dark Arts? How do you gather that?”

“Your parents-”

Fed up, Kari forced her lips to smile, though she knew it would not be a warm smile.  “I suggest to do your research a little more. The only thing I got from my parents was my undying loyalty to my friends. Harry will have a supporter in me.”

“And more, if he'll let you?”

Kari didn't answer. Turning on her heel, she made her way to the Three Broomsticks, muttering under her breath about git witches reaching for stories to make a quick buck.

“Well don't you look all bothered up and ready to fight someone?” George said with a grin as she jumped up on the stool next to him.

She accepted the Butterbeer he had ordered for her, scowling at Ron who was looking everywhere but at her. Fred grinned. “I do feel quite ready to jinx someone. And since I’ll probably get in trouble for enlarging Ron’s nose, I’ll take my drink and leave.”

George glared at Ron. “He can go, we’re not that fond of him anyways.”

Laughing, she shook her head as she spotted Hermione come in. “S’ok. I’ll just be across the shop, we can shoot wistful looks at each other. Maybe if these two idiots ever make up, we can be together again.”

“A modern day Romeo and Juliet,” said Fred with a snort.

“Don't get jealous on me,” Kari said as she hopped off the stool, pressing a kiss to Fred’s cheek. “You know you two come as a package set.”

Leaving the twins to their laughter, she maneuvered her way to Hermione. She spotted the S.P.E.W. paperwork and tried to sneak away but Hermione looked up and raised an eyebrow. “I almost didn't see you,” she lied with a grin.

“Funny. Since Harry here says you stood there for a good five seconds before starting to walk off.”

Kari’s jaw dropped. “You awful little shit.”

“Misery loves company,” said Harry from under his cloak.

She rolled her eyes as she sat down in front of Hermione, glaring at the direction where his voice came from. “I'm going to make it my goal in life to learn the ‘see Harry under his cloak’ trick Dumbledore does so well.”

“It's a human presence revealing spell,” muttered Hermione as she crossed something off her list.

Kari hummed in surprise. “That easy? I figured it'd be something more complicated than _homenum revelio._ ”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Only you would cast off a spell as _easy_ because it's _obvious._ It's good enough for Dumbledore, it should be good for you.”

“I didn't say it _wasn't_ ,” snapped Kari. “I'm just saying I figured someone as powerful as Dumbledore would cast something a little more foolproof. Couldn't you cast a repelling charm to throw him off?”

“I suppose, in theory-”

Harry groaned. “Spell theory? Is this my life now?”

“You could go buy Ron a drink, if we bore you so much,” said Hermione with a scowl.

She didn't need Dumbledore’s spell to know Harry was glaring in Ron’s direction. “Fine. Let's talk a little something more interesting. You ready to see Padfoot?”

“Worried. If he gets caught-”

“He won't.”

“But if he _does_ -”

Kari narrowed her eyes. “He _won't.”_

She heard Harry let out mumbled curse under her breath and snorted. She spotted Hagrid making his way towards him and began to wave when she noticed Mad-Eye behind him. Every muscle in her body stiffened. “I'll… I need to… I'll see you two later,” she mumbled, struggling to jump off. Ignoring their protests, she made a beeline for George and tugged on his sleeve. “Walk with me?” Her voice sounded much too breathy, too panicked. All she could feel was her mind slipping, it being pushed and controlled. As if it was nothing, as if she was nothing.

Her endless hours working and reading on mind protection spells were long and tiresome. She wasn't ready for a repeat.

George looked at her curiously but didn't object. Saying a quick goodbye to his brothers, he followed her outside and finally grabbed her hand. “Mind telling me what's going on?”

“Just needed some fresh air.”

“I'm not stupid enough to believe that, and you know it. Come on, Kari. Let me in. What's got you so spooked?”

Planting her hands on her hips, she sneered, “fine. Tell me what you and Fred are scheming against and I'll tell you what's gotten under my skin.”

“That's not fair-”

“No, George, it's not!” She felt herself cry out, cheeks flushed and eyes wild. “I didn't expect this… problem to pop up and yet here I am. You didn't expect yours. I can help you.”

“Will you let me help you?” He asked softly, searching her eyes and huffing softly as he saw the answer on her face, the stubborn set of her jaw. “I didn't think so. It works both ways, Kari. You can let me lean on you. Just like you can lean on me. Tell me-”

“No.” It was hard, clipped and hurt. She swallowed, tears pricking at her eyes. “I can't.”

“You won't.”

She shut her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the disappointment in his. “I won't.”

Silence fell between them, neither one of them willing to budge. She expected him to wish her luck, to walk back to his drink and his brother and forget about her. Instead, he let out long breath, annoyance clear in the tone of it, before grabbing her by the arms and muttering, “you'll drive me insane, you know.”

She dug her face into his chest. “I know. I'm sorry.”

“Don't. I… I won't push. I wish you'd let me in, let any of us in-.”

“What-”

At her protest he gave her a soft shake and scowled. It was different, seeing a scowl on his face, no humor beneath it. “You don't think I've asked around? Hermione, Harry, Ron -though that's hardly surprising, that he doesn't know anything, considering you lot have decided to… I don't even know what you lot are doing. Kari, none of your friends know what has you so…”

“It's-”

“If you tell me it's nothing, I will set your hair on fire. Don't _lie_ to me, Karina.”

She wrinkled her nose at the use of her full name. It wasn't the playful way he said Black, it wasn’t _Kari_ , with a grin on his face and twinkling eyes. Karina was someone he was disappointed in, someone he thought he knew and was suddenly realizing he didn't. “We’re friends, George,” she said evenly, her voice thick with unshed tears. Her mind, oh, her mind felt so vulnerable, anyone could've pushed through and would see her raw, hurting. “That's all… isn't it?”

He flinched, pulling away from her. Kari wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering. George watched her crumble, a silent battle and then in the span of seconds, she'd built a wall around herself again. He was her friend, and whatever he wanted could wait until she was okay. “We’re friends,” he echoed, numbly. Wishing he had the words for more and knowing he didn't, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her back to the safety of the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised myself it wouldn't be a month until the next update and yet here we are. Thanks so much for sticking around.


	9. Chapter 9

She woke to disappointment, staring at the canopy of her bed with tears brimming in her eyes. Sleep had eluded her, unable to fall completely asleep as she waited for a knock on the door, an owl,  _ anything,  _ to tell her that there'd been some mistake and Sirius had just failed to mention that they were supposed to meet after his talk with Harry.

There had been no knock, no owl. Instead, strands of sunlight weaved into her room, much too cheerful for how she felt. She reminded herself, once again, that she'd had  _ weeks _ not only with Sirius but Remus as well. Memories of laughter, of inside jokes and meaningful looks between the two men as she soaked it all in while Harry was a whole ocean away.

It did nothing to ease the knot from her stomach.

Swinging her legs over her bed, she shook her head to clear dark thoughts and stretched. It was well into breakfast, she realized as her stomach let out a growl. Running her fingers through her hair, she threw on clothes, grabbing her wand on her way out and rushed downstairs. Neither Harry nor Hermione were in the Great Hall, but George was. He looked up at her, held her stare and nodded once, stiffly. Feigning cheeriness she did not at all feel, she made her way over and smiled.

“If you're looking for Harry-”

“I wasn't-” she began to lie but shut her mouth at the look he sent her way.

“-saw him head to the library with Hermione.”

The dismissal was clear. Unsure of how to handle this territory, she mumbled her thanks. Grabbing two slices of buttered toast, Kari stood and made her way to the library. She finished them before walking in, smiling sweetly at the librarian, who did not at all seem amused.

“There you are!” She cried out as she spotted Harry and Hermione coming towards her, arms stacked with books. “What-”

“Dragons,” breathed Harry as he reached her. His eyes held despair in them as he looked at her. “The first task is dragons.”

Kari stared at him, stupidly. “Real ones?”

Hermione let out a choked noise. “As opposed to-”

“ _ Just once _ , I want good news. Sane news. He drops dragons on me, and  _ I’m _ the idiot for asking?” Kari snapped, brushing her fingers over her forehead. “We’re going to need Ritter’s-”

“It's in here,” Hermione said, motioning to one of the tomes in her arms. “We have books on dragons and spells. Learning about dragons may not be everything we need.”

“Well sure,” replied Kari dryly as she took some of the books from Hermione. “How much could you possibly need to know other than  _ watch out for the fire, oh and maybe giant teeth. Also may want to avoid the tail. _ ”

Harry turned slightly green. “Sirius seemed to think a simple spell may do it.”

At the mention of her father, her gut twisted uncomfortably. “Well that's big of him. Which he say what simple spell you should try? Maybe throwing sparks it's way will do the trick. The task is  _ two days away. _ ”

_ You could be dead in two days. _

The thought caught her unaware, leaving her breathless. She stumbled, crying out as she began to fall forward. Harry dropped the books he'd been carrying, reaching out for her. She fell solidly into his arms, stayed there for a second. “Kari,” murmured Harry as he pulled her up. “It'll be okay.”

She laughed humorlessly. “Dragons, Harry.  _ Dragons. _ Do you at least know what kind?”

Harry nodded. He listed them, watched her face turn white. “One for each champion.”

“Knowing your bloody luck, you'll get the blasted Horntail.” Kari sighed as she reached down to pick up their books. Harry reached for it at the same time, his hand bumping hers. She pulled it away, as if burned. “Come on,” she said with a brittle smile. “Hermione’s buggered off without us. Hasn't even noticed we’re not with her. I bet she's talking to herself.”

“Kari.” 

She stopped and looked over her shoulder. Harry stood, frozen. Brows furrowed, she walked back to him. “Harry?”

He swallowed several times, trying to get the words out. “Tell me… tell me it'll be alright.”

She glanced at the corridor, nearly empty of people. Pulling him to the side and putting their books on the floor, she placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

Those eyes she loved fiercely, desperately. In her mind she cursed Dumbledore and Bagman and his sheer bloody luck. It wasn't that Harry never let anyone in, it's that she'd never seen him this bloody vulnerable. “It's going to be alright.” She promised, her voice thick.

“How?”

A laugh escaped her before she could swallow it. “You asked me to tell you it's going to be alright. And it will be. But I don't have an answer for you, Harry. Not right now. We will though.”

“We've… I've been in danger before. But it was always instant, I didn't know I was in danger until I was in the thick of it. This time… I'm facing death in two days. I'd much rather not know when the executioner is coming.” His words spilled out as he ran his hands through his hair. “Kari, I'm not ready. I don't know what they’ll do if I go out and just… drop my wand.”

“Well, don't do that, for starters.” Kari’s hand itched to brush the hair from his forehead. Instead she settled for what she hoped was a confident smile. “Come on, Potter. I haven't let you down yet, and I'm not about to start. I didn't inherit this brilliant mind to let the Boy-Who-Lived die in a pile of ash courtesy of dragon breath.”

Harry made a strangled noise. 

*

“Eat up,” Kari snapped as she shoved some fruit his way at dinner time. “If we’re going to be practicing a Summoning Charm into all hours of the night, I don't want you grouchy because you didn't eat.”

“That's what  _ you'll  _ do,” Harry snapped without heat. At Kari’s unamused expression, he sighed and lifted his fork into his mouth.

“I still don't know why we couldn't brew up a potion to make you invulnerable to fire,” muttered Kari with a scowl.

“Because that would take too long.” Hermione reminded her as sat down, looking tired. “Even your impressive brewing skills couldn't pull it off, not unless you swap quality for speed.”

“And it would still leave me useless as to  _ what  _ to do with my wand.”

“Use it, for starters.” Kari pushed her plate away, suddenly not hungry. “Let's go, we don't have all night. He still needs to get some sleep.”

They made their way to an empty classroom. Kari and Hermione placed pieces of parchment, quills and books all around the room. The ones closer to him he seemed to have no problem with. The ones further away were proving more difficult, losing steam halfway through the spell.

“Show me again,” Harry said as he turned to Kari.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “It hasn't changed from the last ten times you've asked.”

Hermione shook her head. “We don't have time to argue. Just… show him. Maybe he can mimic your form.”

Kari rolled her eyes, walking to the middle of the room. Rolling her shoulders to work out some of the kinks, she raised her wand at broom they'd placed by the door. “ _ Accio broom!” _ She felt magic course through her, even through this simple spell. Planting her feet, she held out her hand and grunted as the broom hit her outstretched hand. “Well?”

“I feel like that's what I'm doing,” said Harry wearily.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she tapped her wand against her thigh. “It's not… it's not just the form. The concentration behind the spell-”

Harry snorted. “You hardly looked as if you were intent on-”

“Because it's just… second nature. I know the spell, I know what I need it to do. My wand is an extension of my will,” said Kari fiercely, walking Harry back to the middle of the room. She adjusted his arm, shifting his legs slightly. “It's isn't… I just. I don't know how to explain it. The harder spells for me, they're a challenge. My whole focus goes into it. Forget the room, forget the people in it, forget the bloody dragon - don't you scoff at me, Harry James Potter.” Kari fixed a stern glare his way. “I'm not dismissing the danger, but if you can't focus, if you don't? You won't be summoning that broom all the way to the arena. No matter how well you know the spell.”

“You could just summon the broom for me and toss it down,” he said in a voice that sounded too close to a whine.

“And get you disqualified in the process.”

“Not entirely an unwelcome outcome.”

Hermione clapped her hands. “Enough! We’re not  _ cheating. _ You're doing  _ well _ . You just need to-”

“Focus. I know, I  _ know _ .”

*

“KARI. You can look, it's over!”

She wasn't aware she'd shut her eyes. Even without Hermione’s cry of joy or the vicious slapping on her arm, she knew Harry had succeeded by the outburst of the stadium. Her legs, which had been filled with lead not five seconds ago, suddenly turned to jello. She felt herself fall, all feeling gone from her lower half.

Strong arms held onto her before she hit the floor. Still in shock, she blinked up at her savior. Ron, looking as pale as she'd ever seen him, looked at her with wide eyes.

“I've been an idiot,” he said hoarsely. “I thought he was done for, that bit with the-”

“I know,” croaked Kari, shutting her eyes and regretting it immediately as the memory replayed itself. Vividly. “He didn't put his name in the Goblet.”

“I know. Bloody hell, I've… of course he didn't. I was… Kari, I-”

“I know,” she sobbed as she threw her arms around his neck. “Ron, I thought-”

“I know.” He muttered as he held on.

Beside her, Hermione finally stopped screaming long enough to look over her shoulder. “What on-”

“Never mind that,” said Kari with a hiccup, wiping away the tears. “Let's go, let's go. We need to get to him.”

Ron stood, frozen. “I've been an idiot-”

“So you've said.” Kari said with a laugh, delirious on relief. “Lucky for you, we’re rather fond of idiots. Come  _ on _ , Ron.”

“I abandoned him.”

“Lucky for  _ him _ he had us, then.” Hermione rolled her eyes, making her way down to the tent. “Only one way to make it up to him. Let's  _ go. _ ”

Beaming, Kari grabbed Ron’s hand and dragged him towards the tent, towards Harry. She barreled into his arms, laughing madly as he grunted. “You did it!”

“I focused. Really hard. I had a really good teacher.”

“You didn't even toss a bossy compliment in there. I'm flattered. Oh, you  _ alive _ idiot. I'm so glad you're not dead.”

“Your vote of confidence is astounding,” he remarked dryly as he wiped away tears from her cheeks. “Where was this fear yesterday, when I was the basket case?”

“One emotional idiot at a time.” Unwilling, unable, to let go, she dug her face into his neck and breathed in deeply. “Speaking of idiots, I have someone for you. Be nice. He knows he's been the king of idiots.”

Stepping aside, Ron looked up at Harry meekly. He shot her a look, but she feigned innocence. Preoccupying herself with her cloak, she pulled Hermione aside and sighed heavily as the boys talked. “One down,” she breathed heavily. “Two to go. If dragons was the first one, I shudder to think what's coming next.”

“Always cheerful and optimistic, aren't you?” Hermione muttered, but she too looked torn between happiness and fear.


	10. Chapter 10

Christmas barreled much quicker than it had any other year, and with it the Yule Ball. Kari enjoyed the spirit, watching people who would never attempt to talk to others pluck up the courage to ask them to the ball. And in some cases, the answer was a resounding yes. Others were met with a less than desirable outcome. She watched with a smile on her face, each interaction more interesting than the previous. 

Until she turned the corner into the courtyard as she made her way to the Great Hall, her cheeks rosy from the cold, and nearly plowed into Malfoy. She raised an eyebrow, side stepping him before continuing on her way.

“Black!”

Groaning, she turned back to face him. “Malfoy, I'm not really in the mood to dance. What do you want?”

Surprisingly, he blushed. “That ball is coming up.”

“How observant,” she muttered. “Your point?”

“I reckoned I could do you a favour.”

“By not going? That  _ would  _ be a grand favour, thanks.”

He grit his teeth. “By giving you the chance to go with me.”

Kari stared. And then kept on staring. Finally, she shook her head and said, “sorry, I must've misunderstood. You want to go to the ball with me?”

Malfoy narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. “You  _ did _ misunderstand me. I know Potter hasn't asked you, and with no one else to ask you, I figured I'd lend you a hand. Better show up with someone than alone, for everyone to see that the Boy-Who-Lived really didn't care about his best mate in  _ that _ way.”

Furious, she took a step forward. Malfoy stood his ground, staring into her eyes. She counted to ten, and then to fifteen for good measure, before she smiled coldly. “Only a small hitch with your plan.”

He blinked, confused. “What's that?”

Kari’s smile turned into a smirk as she leaned forward. Malfoy mistook her, and his eyes drifted shut as she stopped inches away from his face.  _ You overconfident fool, _ she thought. Huffing out a little breath, she watched Malfoy tremble slightly as he waited for something, a kiss perhaps, if his lips were any indication. In a tone that would make anyone’s blood run cold, she whispered, “I would much rather go to the ball with the Giant Squid than be seen anywhere close to you.”

His gray eyes sprung open. Shock flashed through them, followed by hurt and finally settling on anger. “I am  _ offering you-” _

“And I'm saying no.” Kari’s lip pulled upwards into a dark grin. “What's the matter, Draco? Can't find a date to the ball? Parkinson finally come to her senses? This is embarrassing, even for you.”

“You're making a big mistake,” he snarled as he shook with humiliation.

Kari lifted a shoulder lazily. “Oh, I very much doubt that. Here's  _ my _ small favour to you - run along and never speak of this, and I won't crow from the rooftops that Draco Malfoy asked a common blood-traitor to the ball. Who is this more embarrassing for? I'm not the one getting rejected.”

He opened his mouth but no words came out. Kari lifted an eyebrow at him and watched as he turned on his heel, walking away with a swirl of his cloak that would've made even Snape proud. She stood there, dismayed for a second before pinching herself. “Yep, that definitely happened,” she muttered bitterly as she rubbed her arm.

*

“Have you asked her yet?”

George looked up at his twin, who was staring at him with a grin on his face. Guarded, he raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“Oh, that's fine. Play dumb with me. If you don't hurry though, she'll ask Harry herself. He's too dense to see what's in front of his eyes.”

He let out a laugh and pushed back from the table, his belly stirring uncomfortably. “What are you on about?”

Fred rolled his eyes playfully. “Kari. Have you asked Kari to the ball?”

Silence stretched between them before George looked back down at his plate of food and frowned. “I hadn't thought about who to ask yet. Katie Bell-”

“Is not the one you've been friendly with for the last four years,” Fred said as he broke his toast in half. “I reckon she'd say yes, you know. Kari, I mean. Probably Katie too but what fun would that be?”

“She's Ron friend.” His response sounded entirely too much like an excuse, and he could see that Fred thought so too.

“Oh, blimey. You're right. And she's not allowed to have more than one. Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

George managed a weak grin. “You don't have to be an ass.”

Fred wiggled his eyebrows. “You love me just the way I am. So are you going to ask Kari?”

“Ask me what?” Kari said as she reached the table, sitting down next to George and grinning at Fred. “Pass the cereal, will you?”

Fred sent George a look before passing her the cereal box. When his brother only glared, he grinned again. “You been asked to the ball yet?”

Kari laughed. “I have, sort of. Said no, though.”

“Wait, I- what?” George dropped his spoon, as he frowned at Kari. “How do you  _ sort of _ get asked? Who asked you? Harry-?”

She snorted in annoyance. “The-Boy-Who-Lived and your idiot brother are too dense to see that there are in fact  _ two _ very available girls who would gladly have said yes. Well, one now. Hermione’s got a date. Don't tell Ron. And no, I'm not telling you who it is. I promised her I wouldn't.” Kari sent Fred a glare as he began to ask.

George shook his head at her. “ _ Who _ sort of asked you?”

“Malfoy.”

“Malfoy?!” The twins said in unison.

Kari raised her eyebrows at them. “Seemed to think he would be doing me a favour so I wouldn't show up alone. Told him I'd rather take the Giant Squid than go with him.”

Fred let out a roar of laughter. “Brilliant.”

“Yes, well. You know how subtlety escapes me.” Kari grinned sheepishly. “What were you going to ask me?”

George suddenly felt very warm under her gaze. “Nothing important. Just… if you wanted to meet up the next Hogsmeade visit.”

She stared at him for a second before shrugging. “Do you even need to ask? We  _ always _ meet up. I-” Harry walked into the Great Hall, waving her over. Sighing, she shoved the last of her cereal into her mouth and grabbed some toast as she stood. “Sorry boys. Gotta go. Yes, I'll see you in Hogsmeade. Maybe we can get a drink at Honeydukes?”

“It's a date!” George called after her as she walked away, waving over her shoulder. Groaning, he sank back down into the bench and glared at the grinning Fred. “This isn't funny.”

“You've got it bad,” said Fred.

George jerked his head. “I don't get it. She's just Kari.”

Fred rolled his eyes. “Yes, just Kari. Who manages to make you laugh and plan stuff in a way I never have.”

“Thank Merlin for that, mate. I don't think I could handle you making my stomach feel like this.”

He'd meant it as a joke but the truth coated it and recognition splashed over Fred’s face. “Ask her to the ball,” he said gently.

Unwilling to give his brother the satisfaction of being right, George grunted.

*

He found himself leaning on the railing over the entrance of the courtyard, where Kari was coming in from Hogsmeade with Hermione. They each held what he assumed were gowns, covered by a plastic bag. She looked happy, carefree, with that big grin of hers on her face before she leaned her head back and let out a laugh. The snow was falling slowly, sticking to her hair and making Hermione squeal as she shook her hair loose.

His stomach did an odd roll while his heart beat uncontrollably. He felt Fred slide up next to him, could feel the smile on his face. “I'm going to ask her to the ball,” he said softly.

“About time,” said Fred as he lazily pushed off the railing.

“Fred, wait. I-” George broke off as he reached for his brother. He dropped his arms uselessly to his sides before he mumbled, “I don't want her to settle for me.”

Fred stared at his brother before shaking his head. “If you think she would, you don't know her as well as I thought you did.”

“She told Malfoy she'd rather go with the Giant Squid.”

“It was  _ Malfoy _ ,” Fred said with a laugh. “As exciting as it would be to see the Giant Squid at the ball, I very much doubt she'll give you the same line.”

“But what if-”

Fred shook his head. “The worst that could happen is that she'll say no.”

“And make things awkward and uncomfortable.”

“Or she she'll say yes and it'll be the start of whatever fantasy you have going on in your head,” said Fred with a smile. “You could chicken out and neither one of you will ever know what could be.”

George blinked, suddenly saw himself as an older man with Kari, smiling Kari, at his side. Found that it made him happier than he ever thought it would. “I'm going to ask her to the ball.”

“Atta boy.” Winking, Fred walked away.

George found himself alone, still very much afraid. He could ask her and she could say yes. Or she'd say no, what on earth was he thinking and that would put a damper on their friendship.

Both scenarios brought two very different feelings to mind. He considered fleeing, but instead rushed down the stairs and called her name.

She turned, her face still light up by whatever joke she'd just shared with Hermione. “Hey George. Beat me back from Hogsmeade. I thought you and Fred were gonna go to Zonko’s?”

“We didn't. Can I… Can I bug you for a bit?” His tongue suddenly felt two sizes too big, and for a brief second he wondered if Fred had given him one of their candies without him noticing. The image of him asking Kari to the ball with his tongue swollen and dangling was too much. He swallowed his laughter and disguised it as a cough while Kari deposited her purchases into Hermione's arms. He mumbled goodbye to Hermione, who sent Kari a knowing looking. Kari, oblivious to it, turned to him and beamed.

He may as well just rip out his heart and give it to her, end his agony and just tell her how he felt recently. Knew she wouldn't feel the same way, not when he'd seen the way  _ she’d _ been looking at Harry lately, the irritation on her face whenever Ron and Harry moaned about not having dates to the ball.

_ Don't settle for me. Want me for me. _ The words echoed in his mind as he sent her a weak smile. “Walk with me?”

Kari fell into step with him as he led them, unconsciously, to the kitchens. She laughed, stirring him from his daze. “Screw having a secret hideout when we have the kitchens.”

He glanced up as she walked in, jumping on a counter before reaching for a muffin. The House Elves sent them smiles, and Kari called out her hellos to them by name. Of course she'd know them, would know who was making her food and taking care of them. She was warm and kind and -

“George?”

Shit. Taking a deep breath, he leaned against the table she sat on and looked up at her. To hide his trembling hands, he crossed his arms and smiled. “We've known each other for awhile, yeah?”

Kari blinked before returning his smile. “Yeah. Four years. Doesn't feel like it.”

“You're one of my closest friends,” he rushed through as he took in the way surprise splashed on her face. “I reckon more so than Lee.”

“I feel like I should boast that to him, but he'd never stop moaning about it.” She laughed as she reached for his hand. “It'll be our secret.”

“Will you go to the ball with me?” The words were rushed, his eyes flicked up to hers, watched them widen. Before she could say no, he said, “I know you've been waiting on Harry. But… it's Harry. If you don't want to wait around for him, I was wondering-”

“George.”

“You don't have to-”

Kari kicked him in the shins gently, glaring at him. “Are you done?”

He wasn't, but the look on her face shut him up. He held his breath, waited for the rejection he knew would come. Nothing he had told himself made it any easier.

“I wasn't waiting on Harry. I'm not asking him to the ball, which is apparently a bet going around that I have to go see a certain Fred Weasley about.” Squeezing his hand, she leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek. “It's sweet of you, asking me.”

“...But?”

She arched an eyebrow. “But what?”

Exasperated, George rolled his eyes. “It just felt like you were about to say ‘but I can't go with you because the Giant Squid is my date.’”

“Alas, he has not replied to my invitation.” Kari sighed dramatically. “You'll have to do.”

A million emotions erupted through him. “And Harry-?”

“If the Giant Squid does reply, maybe he can go with it. I'm not waiting on him. He can be oblivious. And your brother too. Besides, go to that with one of the Champions? No thank you. You and me, we'll have fun and won't have to be in the spotlight. Although, I'm surprised. I reckoned you'd go with one of the girls in your year. The more sophisticated ones who'll fill out those dresses in a way I never could.”

She was joking, knew she was joking. But George looked her in the eyes and said, “you were the one I wanted to be with.”

Her face reddened and she turned her brown eyes to her hands. “Only because I'm the best at the terrible puns you love you so,” she said after a beat, humour in her voice. It almost felt like a bridge, a way for them to get through this awkward space without having to explore their very different, very real feelings.

Grateful for it, George grasped it and grinned. “No way. You can't take that away from Fred.”

“Fine. Take him to the Ball then,” she quipped as she jumped off the counter, that grin back on her face.

“I'd rather take you. And you already said yes.”

“And I already bought a gown,” Kari said happily.

George chuckled. “Confident someone would ask you then?”

Kari tilted her head, studying him. “See, your brother was so busy making bets about me asking Harry, he failed to consider my other options.”

“Ron?” George said with a laugh.

She waited for him to stop, her brown eyes burning into his. With a small smile, she shook her head and turned to walk away. “You,” Kari said over her shoulder.

It reached him, hit him full force in the middle of his heart. He couldn't understand how his best friend had the power to bewitch him, to make his palms sweaty. He had known Kari, her fears and joy and frustrations for years now. He knew he would do anything to make her happy, to keep her safe, even though she was more than capable of doing it all herself.

He had wanted nothing more than to keep her friendship before asking her. And now, he didn't understand his own thoughts.

_ We’ll go to the ball as friends,  _ he thought firmly as he made his way out of the kitchens.  _ We're just friends. _


	11. Chapter 11

“Oi Hermione. You’re a girl.”

_ Oh no, _ Kari thought as she held Harry’s stare. She didn’t bother to sigh. It was such a typical foot-in-mouth Ron thing to say. Snape turned to look at their group, causing Kari to turn her gaze downward and onto her book. She even thought she did well at hiding the snort of laughter that threatened to erupt when Snape had shoved their heads forward, Hermione having already handed in her work and marching from the Great Hall.

Ron sucked in his breath, “ _ Kari!” _

She lifted her brown eyes to his, amusement sparkling in them. “This should be fun.”

“I just realized how rude we’ve been. One of us will go to the ball with you. Take your pick, me or Harry.”

“Oh, I get to pick, do I?” Kari said, resting her chin in her hands and smiling sweetly at him. She could tell Harry had caught on, shaking his head slightly at Ron, who was too preoccupied nodding at her.

“Course. Doesn’t she, Harry? No pressure or anything. That way it won’t be embarrassing, not having found a date until now.”

“You’re such a twat, Ronald Weasley,” she chuckled as she wrote her name in her notebook, “and a prince among men.  _ However _ , I truly hate being the one to tell you this, but someone’s already asked me and I said yes. Didn’t want all the ‘good ones to be taken’ and all that.”

“Someone’s asked you?’

Kari missed a beat, her smile faltering as she turned to look at Harry, frowning slightly at the scowl on his face. “That’s what I said.”

“Oh bloody hell, you too? Who on earth would ask you?”

Kari’s jaw dropped. Before she could find the words to tell Ron where he could shove his wand, she felt someone on the bench shift and then Fred said, “George, didn’t you say you asked one Karina Black to the Yule Ball?”

“Why, Fred, I do believe that I did.”

Ron gaped at the twins. “You can’t be serious. You’re older than her!”

“Seems like some girls are into older men,” Fred grinned as he winked at Kari.

She rolled her eyes and got up, leaning over the table to give Snape her completed workbook. He thumbed through it suspiciously. Turning her glare to Ron, she snapped as she gathered her books, “honestly you two are the thickest idiots I’ve ever met. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if Mad-Eye will teach me how to transfigure someone into a ferret. Then, if you two are still being pissants, I’ll practice on  _ you _ .”

She didn’t storm out of the Great Hall quite as much as Hermione had, and had even managed to keep her rage to a minimum before she walked out into the grounds and saw Hermione sitting on a bench, her nose red. Kari didn’t think it was all from the cold. Sighing, she crossed the distance and sat down next to her.

“Did they do you the  _ honor _ of asking you too, then?”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Kari grunted as she cast a small fire on the ground for warmth. “He’s a moron, Hermione.”

Hermione sniffed angrily, “of course he is. Did he truly think we’ve wait around for  _ them? _ ”

“Fools,” she agreed and leaned her head on Hermione’s shoulder.

*

_ Padfoot, _

_ I still don’t know how to start a letter to a father that you thought a mass murderer. Well. Hi, I guess. I hope this owl finds you well. Winter has arrived full force, so I’m sure you’re keeping warm. _

_ I know it’s dangerous to write for you with no real reason. It’s risky sending you an owl regardless, but wouldn’t it just be insult to injury if you got caught receiving an owl from  _ ~~_ your daughter _ ~~ _ someone just moaning about how her normal her life is? _

_ I’m worried about Harry - alright, when amn’t I worried about Harry lately? He’s held up from the first idiotic, moronic and life threatening task. They realize this the Boy-Who-Freaking-Lived, right? What are they thinking, letting him in the Tournament when the Goblet clearly malfunctioned? Sirius, he’s retreated from  _ ~~_ me _ ~~ _ us. I know he’s scared witless, how can he not be? _

_ Well… perhaps the Yule Ball will cheer him up some. It’s got the school in an uproar, what with a whole new pool of dating possibilities. The dynamic duo asked Hermione and  _ **_then_ ** _ me to the Ball today. Never mind that we’ve know about the Ball for weeks. Both Hermione and I have dates, of course. Viktor Krum (yes, that Viktor Krum!) asked her to it. Apparently he sees her study around the school and he likes her for her brains. She’s dazed still, I think. I am. I am always there beside her, and  _ **_I_ ** _ didn’t get asked to the Ball by an international Quidditch player… okay, maybe I don’t study as hard as she does, but… still. I’m there, with her. Yes, I'm sure I sound whiny. _

_ Luckily, George Weasley was nice enough to ask me to go with him. He’s one of Ron’s older brothers. One of the twins, I don’t know if you know of him. Anyways, he’s a riot and makes me laugh and is taking his little brother’s friend to to the Ball, which is about the sweetest thing I’ve heard. _

_ I should probably get back to “studying”. I don’t know where you’re at but I’m sending a bundle of food for you. It should still be fresh by the time it gets to you, what with the spell I cast on it.  _

_ Kari _

_ * _

_ Dear Kari, _

_ Perhaps by not starting off with ‘remember the time you were wrongly convicted’? _

_ There is never a bad time to receive a letter from you. It’s strange, but being apart for over thirteen years makes me curious and proud and anxious to get letters from you. Every time I do, I discover new things about my daughter. _

_ I will talk to Harry next time we chat. You must remind him that he is not alone in this. You two are special together, each other’s support. You already know this, but there is no greater magic than friendship and loyalty. _

_ The Yule Ball… I suppose first of all, have fun. If you get pictures taken, send me some. And you remind this George Weasley that your father is an escapee of Azkaban so he’d better behave. We men are idiots, if your mother were here, she would confirm it. She had to go through her fair share of dealing with me and I don’t have the sensibility that Harry does - he must’ve gotten that from Lily. _

_ Thank you for the food. It’s hard to come by warm food when you’re on the run.  _

_ * _

She let out a snort, a smile on her face as she ran her fingers over her father’s writing.

“Good joke?” Kari jumped. At George’s chuckle she glared at him and folded the letter. “I’m sorry! I thought you heard me come down. Ron said you’d probably still be awake.”

“I’m a bit of a night owl, sometimes,” she admitted sheepishly. “You?”

George shook his head as he sat next to her, “not at all. I sleep like the dead. I just… I just wanted to make sure we were okay.”

Kari’s eyebrows flew into her bangs, “what do you mean?”

“Fred, a couple days ago. The liking older men bit. I don’t want you to feel like I’m pressuring you… I mean, you’re one of my closest friends. If it’ll be awkward-”

A smile tugged at her lips, “Oh, George. You’re too sweet. Really. But… you don’t have to worry about me, I know you’re being a great sport by taking me.”

“I… wait, what?”

Laughing softly, she leaned across the couch and kissed his cheek. “You’re helping me stick it to Ron and Harry, and I appreciate it. I promise we’ll have fun. We’ll have so much fun it’ll distract you from all the other girls you  _ could’ve _ gone with, even.”

With that, she stood and stretched before smiling down at him, oblivious to his hanging mouth. He nodded her way when she said goodnight, watching her walk upstairs before turning to look at the fire.

He had invited Kari to the ball because she was a riot and an adventure and laughter all rolled up into one person. And if his brother wouldn’t be at his side, then he would have this one person who laughed at his horrible puns and jokes. Whose smile lit up the room and he responded to her energy in a way he didn’t understand.

Sighing, he leaned his head back and ran his hands threw his hair.

The cushion bounced as someone sank into it. Groaning, he opened one eye and glared at Ron. “That’s an impressive scowl. Care to elaborate?”

“What’s your game?” Ron snapped as he crossed his arms over his chest, “she’s not just another girl.”

George blinked at his brother. “Oh. I was not aware that you-”

“What? No!” Ron wrinkled his nose at him, “she’s… she’s Kari. And I care about her, because she’s my friend.”

“So behave or else?”

“George…”

At Ron’s snarl, George shook his head and said, “I don’t have a game, Ron. I asked my friend to the Ball and she said yes. She’s younger than I am, my little brother’s best friend and… and she’s my friend.”

“Oh,” Ron said softly, “bloody hell, George. I didn’t know.”

He looked up quickly, scoffing at Ron. “There’s nothing to know. She’s just fun to be around.”

“If you say so…”

George scowled at him, “she’s just a friend, Ron.”

His brother shrugged and stood. He left the room without a goodbye. George tilted his head back and closed his eyes, now not the least bit tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so unbelievably long to post. Life threw a million and one curve balls at me and my writing juice failed me. However, I'm back and with fluff for the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

Kari stared at the dress in front of her with a slight smile as Hermione walked into their dormitory. She waved over her shoulder, pulled out the chest from her trunk and hummed happily as she found the picture she was looking for.

She had known there would be a ball. And while she partner to it had remained a mystery - for longer than she'd like to admit-, she had known a dress would be needed.

And so, while indecision had swamped her (who knew there were so many bloody cuts of dresses?), she'd done what she always did when she was overwhelmed: she'd looked at pictures of her parents, of the life before their departures from her life.

There, buried in one of the albums, was a picture of Victoria Lowry. It had been an event of some kind, and she had felt that pang of sadness that she once again knew very little of her mother and had no one to ask. But there she was, her curls pulled back so they framed her face and made her look aloof and yet inviting if you were a friend. Her dress had left Kari breathless and she knew she'd have to have it. Not in the rich emerald green her mother had worn, green had never been her colour. But if her mother had embodied Slytherin royalty for one night, she'd embody Gryffindor and wear it well.

Picture in her hand, she'd gone to the dressmaker in town and shown the dress to her. The kind older woman had gasped in surprise, her hand flying to her mouth as she glanced up at Kari. And she had uttered “she was my mother,” with more emotion and pride than she ever done. Promises were made, measurements taken and Kari was the owner of a dress she felt would do her mother justice. She could never possess the carefree curls that had rested along her mother's face. Instead, waves of rich chestnut brown face were pulled back, leaving the bottom half to cascade around her shoulders. Intertwined within her curls, and holding back the top half of her hair, was a golden headpiece she'd scrounged up at a Hogsmeade shop. It's tendrils of gold shimmered and sparkled, giving her hair more depth and character. Carefully, she guided her dress over her arms before rearranging it. A wide smile spread over her face as she looked at herself, at the dress that seemed to _glow_ , at the red sheer fabric around her shoulders where the vine pattern of gold snaked through her dress. The sheerness gave away to solid fabric, and somehow shades of red mingled so that she looked like living ember.

She stepped fully away from the mirror and called out Hermione’s name. She came out of the bathroom, beaming at her dress and then gasping as she spotted Kari. “You look…”

“If you say anything other than _good_ , I may clobber you. I can't _breathe_ , Merlin’s tit. How did people ever manage to breathe in olden times?”

“They didn't,” chuckled Hermione as she snaked her arm around Kari’s. “Shall we go show off how _good_ we look?”

Laughing, Kari grabbed her wand before yelping as Hermione took it away. “I made a thigh holder for it-”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Of course you did. Pity it’ll go unused. Not tonight, Kari. You don't need it.”

“There's someone out there trying to hurt Harry. Of course I need it.”

“Then I suppose you'll just have to use some of that wandless magic you've been practicing.” At Kari’s look of surprise, Hermione smiled slyly. “Secretive you are not. You mumble in your sleep. _‘Will it to happen and it shall’._ You even managed to push the broom over the other night.”

“I did not,” sniffed Kari indignantly. “But fine. Let's go. And if someone jumps Harry, it's on you.”

She doesn't know what to expect. When not in her school robes, her clothing of choice was jeans and over-sized sweaters. Sneakers. Hair in a ponytail. This was as far removed from her as anything, and she loved it.

By the look on George’s face as she descended into the Common Room, he was just as surprised as her to see how well she cleaned up.

“Hi,” she said breathlessly as she reached him.

His eyes scanned her, flashing with delight. “You look….”

“Please say good. Anything else is unacceptable.”

“You're right,” he murmured as he took her hand and kissed it gently. “Good is not enough. There are no words to describe you but I'll do my best. You're stunning, radiant, breathtaking-”

Blushing furiously, Kari laughed. “Alright. So I take it you approve.”

Turning those brown eyes on her, eyes she’d thought as her as her safe place for so long, he smiled as he murmured, “you could be wearing a sack of flour and still be the most beautiful woman in this school.”

Without waiting for her to reply, he placed her hand on her arm and guided her downstairs to the entrance to the Great Hall. She'd lost Hermione earlier, after their breathless pep talk and high hopes for the night. While they milled about, Kari glanced at George and felt her stomach do an odd flip.

He was handsome. It had never occurred to her before now, but he was not unpleasant to look at. Decked in black dress robes with a dark brown vest, and a slight smile on his face, she found the air of sophistication appealing. His red hair was long and she found herself fighting the urge to reach up and touch the tips of it that rested on his neck. He called out a greeting to a friend, his smile brightening his face. He was not Krum, or Harry, but he was _hers_ for tonight, when he could've been with anyone else.

“You're staring,” he said with a slight smirk.

Annoyed at being caught, Kari let out an indignant sniff. “I was not. I was just… looking.”

George grinned as he turned those eyes on her. “It stops being _just_ looking after ten seconds. You were staring. It's alright. You can tell me I look pretty.”

“You look pretty,” she parroted back as she stuck out her tongue. “I-”

“ _Kari.”_

Her name was said with such reverence, such wonder, it stopped her mid sentence. She turned and blushed as she spotted Harry, staring at her as if looking at her for the first time.

Well. Perhaps not _their_ first time.

“Hi.” She couldn't breathe again, her heart beating furiously against her chest. “You look great.”

He looked at her, shaking his head slightly. “And you are just full of surprises. You look phenomenal.”

Kari grinned up at George. “Phenomenal. You missed that one.”

George smiled, though not quite as fully as he had before. “I'll have to make it up to you somehow.”

McGonagall began to call out instructions, beckoning the Champions towards the front. “That's you, Potter.” Kari grinned, frustrated by the pang of envy as she nodded to Pavarti Patil next to Harry. “I’d say save me a dance, but I'll bet a Knut I won't be seeing you on the dance floor tonight.”

“And you'll be out there?” Harry laughed as he looked at George.

George merely inclined his head at Kari. “Her wishes are my command tonight.”

Touched, Kari looped her arm around George’s and placed her head on his shoulder. “Shall we go and show off my pretty dress?”

“I _would_ feel like a terrible hog if we didn't,” said George as he led them into the Great Hall.

*

“Did you know she was coming with Krum?”

Kari raised her eyebrows at Ron as he sat next to her heavily. On the dance floor, Hermione was being spun by Krum, her face lit up as they laughed and swayed to the music. “Yes.”

“You didn't tell me.”

She raised an eyebrow. “It wasn't my secret to share. Someone liked her and asked. She said yes.”

“She doesn't even like Quidditch.”

Snorting, Kari swirled her near empty glass and scanned the crowd for George. “She may not be quite the fanatic as you and Harry, but she gets on with him well enough. Besides. I don't think it's Quidditch they're so friendly over.”

Flushed, Rob scowled at her. “You could've stopped her.”

“ _Why?_ ” Incredulous, Kari stared at him. “So you could take your sweet time and have her as last resort? Krum is sweet and kind, and believe it or not, treats her well. He doesn't care that she's gorgeous or smart, he just enjoys her company.”

“ _I_ enjoy her company.”

George was making his way through the crowd, eyes narrowing at the sight of Ron. Kari bit the inside of her mouth. “Then you should've told her. Before someone else did and _not_ because you want to win.” Without waiting for Ron to snap back, she rose from her seat and met George halfway.

“He still being a prat?” He asked as he handed her some punch. “Been moaning about Hermione for hours now.”

“I'm sure his date is enjoying it,” she replied with a snort. “And you? How's tonight treating you?”

He sent her a glance. “There's not much higher on my list than this, Black. Now come on. I promised you some dancing. Can't promise it'll be any good.”

“Terrible dancing is the _best_ kind.” Kari laughed as she let herself be led away into the sea of people.

Her feet ached by the end of the night but she didn't mind it. Pictures had been taken and promises made that she'd get copies of them. She caught Snape’s eye at one point, waved at him before he scowled his displeasure. Kari wondered how much he was reminded of her mother. She found herself following George out into a balcony, hair starting to come loose after a night of laughing and dancing and so much more laughing.

Harry never once approached her.

She tried not to mind.

George leaned against the railing, face calm as he gazed out into the school grounds. They were half hidden from the door and Kari studied him; lips quirking upwards as she realized how much she enjoyed just _looking_ at him, not knowing when she'd ever see him this polished again. Her heart sped up and she couldn't quite convince herself it was all the heat.

“I had fun,” she said softly as she rested on the railing, not too bothered by the cold.

“Did you doubt for a second you wouldn't?”

The snort escaped her before she could help it, before she could remember that tonight she was dressed like a princess. “With you around? Never. Did… did you have fun?”

There was just enough uncertainty in her voice that George turned to stare at her. She willed him to say something, anything. This was new ground for both of them and she was not quite sure if she was the only one who imagined the spark of _something_ between them. They'd known each other for so long, and she valued his friendship dearly. Suddenly terrified that she'd stepped into new territory without him at her side, she felt her stomach sink.

She was so sure he'd follow.

And then he began to lean down. Surprised, Kari froze as she watched him, eyes locked on his. There's a hint of laughter in them, but something else too, something she couldn’t identify. Kari was full of questions and too afraid to voice them lest they ruin the moment. Without hesitating, she rose on her tiptoes and met him halfway. They hovered, both waiting for something, for either one to break first. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips, his scent assaulting her nose. She'd never be able to think of cinnamon without blushing, she's sure of it. A second passed, and then another. An eternity they stand like this, and just as she decides to break the spell she heard footsteps and a sob.

The person hitches another gulping breath and Kari groaned softly. “K-Kari?” Hermione’s voice is choked with tears, and yet all Kari can do is look at George’s lips, at the way they're no longer as close as they had been. Her eyes flicked up to his, and she's sure he can see the silent war on her face.

“Go.” He said, his voice deep and gravely. A smile is back on his face, though there's a bit of regret in his voice. “Go on. I…”

Kari shut her eyes. She waited for the excuses, reasons why he didn't do it, why he didn't _kiss her._ She'll lay in bed later, wondering if she had waited too long. Why she didn't dive in, head first, when she had the chance. “It's probably your idiot brother’s fault,” she mumbled as she gave his hands a quick squeeze.

George snorted. “Never been the brightest, that one.” He lifted his hand to her cheek tenderly. “To answer your question… I can't tell you what tonight meant to me. Words have failed me tonight, you've left me speechless and a little sore from all the laughing. I had a blast, Kari.”

Her heart soared, and her smile bloomed. Before she could make a fool of herself, she stepped out of the shadows and walked to Hermione who dissolved into sobs in her arms. She led her through the crowd, shushing her as she would a small child and though she knows she'll rip into Ron tomorrow, she finds she can't muster anger at this very moment.

She gets Hermione into bed and takes her time removing her clothing. When Kari finally climbs into bed that night, she falls asleep instantly and dreams of dancing and laughter.


	13. Chapter 13

She'd expected awkwardness after their failed attempt at romance. 

What she had not been prepared for was sliding back into their old friendship, as if their venture in the balcony never happened. She'd been too stunned when George had responded to her shy smile and hesitant hello with a grin of his own and no recognition to the look on her face. Instead he'd offered her some cereal and asked her how she'd go on about extracting information from someone who was proving stubborn.

Kari imagined a hundred curses and jinxes all in the span of five seconds as her mind raced with hurt and disappointment. Instead she'd taken some toast and shrugged, before saying that wasn't really her thing and walking away.

She threw away the toast and refused to let the tears that pricked her eyes fall.

Grateful for Hermione’s indignation towards Rita Skeeter and her surprisingly informative network of what Kari could only assume were spies, she agreed to help her research as much as she could on the awful woman.

Anything to keep her mind of George and what could've been.

Not that she'd  _ wanted _ anything to happen, of course. She'd be a fool to pretend that no matter how much fun she'd had with him at the ball, she'd been hurt that Harry hadn't approached her all night. To be fair, she knew he hadn't approached Hermione either.

Somehow this didn't make her feel better.

“You can't possibly be working on school work.” Harry said from behind her.

Kari glanced back and smiled. “Rita Skeeter. I hate that woman. I’m a little upset I missed Hermione's epic tantrum so I'll help any way I can. She's got to be doing it somehow… if we were in the muggle world I'd say she's bugging whoever she wants to eavesdrop on but…”

“Muggle technology doesn't work here,” Harry finished for her as he shuffled the papers in front of her. “I'm just glad we were able to convince Hagrid to come back.”

She thought of Hagrid, of his anguish and tears at the shame of feeling like an outsider merely for being half-giant. One considered dangerous. It had hit too close to home, too close to last year when she wondered how long she could keep up the charade of friend when she thought of her father as a murderer. And so she'd snuck to Hagrid’s cabin after dark and just talked to him, accepting tea and biscuits that nearly shattered her teeth before telling him Hogwarts was not the same without him.

He'd hugged her and told her she reminded him of her mother. It made her wonder if she'd ever had to comfort Hagrid too. 

“He'll be alright,” said Kari confidently. “I took him pictures of the Yule Ball. I had play along and pretend I didn't know about him and Madame Maxime, of course, so I reckoned it'd be awkward when I showed him the picture of the two of them together. He asked if he could keep it.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “I suppose the dating pool is even smaller for someone like him.”

She scoffed. “There's basically one person for him and she's being a prat. They'll come around though.”

“You reckon?”

Rocking the chair back on its hind legs, she shrugged casually. “Listen, how often do you think half-giants find mates that aren't more giants than human? Not often. It's kind of like Lupin. He's stubborn and lonely but I reckon he'll stay that way because the dating pool  _ there _ is non-existent. Not only would he have to find a woman, but one that would be okay with his transformations. In Hagrid’s case, and Madame Maxime’s its… size. I can't imagine a regular bloke is satisfying for her.”

Harry stared at her. And then stared some more. 

Kari chuckled as she turned the page. “Have I managed to shock you, Potter?”

“We don't talk about…”

“What, sex? Feelings? I do realize us British have the reputation for avoiding awkward conversations but I wasn't raised here. Never did acquire that filter.”

Still a furious shade of red, Harry cleared his throat. “Speaking of… feelings. Did you have fun at the ball?”

At that, Kari looked up abruptly and narrowed her eyes. “You know, I don't think I like this development. Let's go back to never talking about our feelings.”

Harry frowned. “Did something happen?”

“No.”

“Then why-”

Kari snapped her book shut. “Because it's weird. I never should've gone with George. He's Ron’s brother, he's my friend, and it muddied things up. People snogging everywhere, giddy with joy… ugh.”

“Did… did you snog George?”

“ _ NO!”  _ Kari felt heat crawl up her neck as she remembered his lips, the closeness and want. “No, nothing like that. It's just… how do you greet someone who was terribly kind to you because his little brother’s friend didn't have a date?”

“You two are good friends,” said Harry softly as he placed his hand on hers, rubbing his thumb in a circular motion. “You'll figure it out.”

He may as well have been speaking gibberish, his voice was coming from a tunnel as she glanced down at her hand, at his fingers. Her whole body was tense, warm and tingly.

“I've got to go,” she squeaked as bright red spots blossomed on her cheeks. “I… forgot a book upstairs. In my room. And bedtime. I'm beat.”

“Kari, it's barely seven,” said Harry a laugh as he dodged a book she yanked from under his elbow. He watched as she waved over her shoulder, tripping and nearly sprawling at the bottom of the stairs before racing away.

*

While Harry’s second task drew ever closer, Kari buried herself into anything and everything she could. By the end of the night her brain was so exhausted that she'd fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. This newfound determination to avoid a talk with George or confronting what her feelings meant spilled over into her schoolwork - both in class and in paper. While before she'd done enough to be near the top of her class, now she poured all her energy into every single assignment and spell out in front of her. More often than not McGonagall gave her that pleased half smile, Flitwick would clap with delight and even Professor Sprout would clap loudly as her plants flourished. Snape couldn't find a single thing to criticize her over during his class and they worked in silence whenever she visited him to brew Lupin’s potion. 

Even with all her schoolwork, she found time to keep digging into Rita Skeeter and then into spells and enchantments that would allow Harry to breathe underwater for an hour. He'd told her the riddle and she'd shrugged it off as rhyming nonsense, more interested in the work of keeping Harry alive.

It was a frustrating process.

On the plus side, whenever Hermione wasn't nearby muttering under breath as she read or having Ron bemoaning the fact that this task was impossible, Kari found herself alone more and more with Harry. Oblivious as always, he failed to notice that she barely looked into his eyes now or laughed less easily. Every brush of his hand, every grin as she said something dry and humorless, every glance her way had her head spinning and wondering when she had begun to feel this way.

Or when she'd  _ begun _ to notice that she felt this way. She'd never forget the force of his eyes the first time she'd seen them, the way her small and uneventful world shift and aligned itself to Harry’s, even before her very careful shield was chipped away. Now she knew she'd do anything to keep him safe, to make him happy.

“Do you reckon Cho would've said yes to you if she hadn't already agreed to go with Cedric?” She heard herself ask as she turned the page of her book. Silence stretched between them and she peered intently at the diagram of oxygen tanks as if it held all the answers to their problems.

“I don't know,” said Harry after a beat, his brows furrowed. “I’d hoped she would. She's…”

Kari felt her lungs tighten slightly. “How… how do you know her? She's not in any of our classes.”

Harry scoffed. “I don't. Not really. She's just…”

“Pretty?” Kari asked with an innocent smile.

_ Not as pretty as you, _ said George’s voice in her head. She scowled inwardly and bid it to shut up.

Harry, however, did not deflect his discomfort with humor as George would have. He let out a soft laugh and murmured, “yeah. I suppose she is.”

Words escaped her. She caressed the image of the air tank on the page and felt a light go off.  _ Bubble Head Charm? _ She scribbled before crossing it out. It had taken  _ days _ to get Harry to work the Accio spell over great distance. They didn't have that long to learn a spell that could potentially kill him if he didn't cast it right and the bubble… popped at the bottom of the lake. Transfiguration was out of the question - her own efforts into that field were proving challenging.

She did love a challenge.

Over the summer Sirius had told her - much to Remus’ displeasure- that it had taken them three years to complete their animagi training.

Kari intended to do it in less, and still do it safely. The last thing she wanted was to go home with a dolphin head or heaven forbid, the body of a meerkat.

“I'm going back to the common room,” she said with a yawn. “I reckon I may have a book upstairs, and if worse comes to worse, you're just going to hold your breath for an hour.”

“Helpful,” he grunted as he handed her a scroll. “Any other insightful tips?”

She bent down and looked him in the eyes. Surprise splashed through his face. “Yeah,” she murmured as she brushed his bangs away. “Don't die. I'll be very put out if you do. All that research for nothing.”

Harry smiled. “As if you're not storing it away for later use.”

“Who knows when I'll need to take a stroll in the lake,” she replied dryly. “See you upstairs?”

Without waiting for his reply, she hurried out of the library before she could say anything else that she'd regret.

Such as  _ I think I may love you and I don't want to tell you because wouldn't that make things weird?  _

Away from the library, she opened a book as she walked and began formulate more ideas. Brewing a potion had crossed her mind, but as Hermione had pointed out, they had not come across one and even if they had, she did not have the time to brew it.

She'd jokingly suggested the Draught of the Living Death. If he  _ appeared  _ dead, surely he wouldn't have to compete. They wouldn't just chuck him to the lake and hope for the best if he wasn't  _ around _ to do it.

Hermione had given her one of her more impressive scowls before snapping that if she didn't want to help, she could just go.

“Kari?”

Annoyance rippled through her. Nose in a book should clearly scream  _ busy, leave me alone _ and yet here she was, turning around and preparing to scowl at -

“Cedric?” She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. They were friendly enough, quick hellos and well wishes since his family had joined the Weasley’s for the World Cup. But they hadn't exactly gone out of their way to say hello to each other or stop to chat in a nearly deserted corridor. Slipping a playful smile on her face, she said, “come to ask me for pointers for the Second Task?”

Her let out a soft laugh and that half smile that had most of the girls at the school wild. She could see why. Cedric Diggory was indeed a very handsome boy, with the chiseled jaw and eyes that invited you to be his friend. “No. I think I'm all set. Harry-”

“Is doing well,” she lied easily. “Nervous.”

“Good. Not that he's nervous. That he's well. He… he didn't ask for this and we…”

Kari felt her stomach twist as she said, “are three years ahead. I know. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried but… we'll figure it out.”

“You four always do,” he said kindly. “If he needs anything…”

“Three more years would be nice,” she said with a grin. “I reckon this will be a cakewalk for the other Champions. Let me guess… transfiguration?”

Cedric looked at her suspiciously but there was no truth to it, it came off as friendly. “Too risky in a stressful situation.”

“Bubble head charm then,” she said confidently.

He laughed, surprise clear on his face. “You are good. It's safe, tried and true. Harry…?”

Kari wrinkled her nose. “Too advanced for a fourteen year old, I’m afraid. We’re still learning simple spells from Professor Flitwick.”

“Only you would call four year spells simple,” Cedric said good naturedly. “I recall having trouble with them.”

“And look how far you've come, Hogwarts Champion.” She watched him blush and found it delightful. “Good luck tomorrow, Cedric. Really. If it's not Harry, that I do hope it's one of ours.”

Cedric accepted her ending of the conversation and nodded. “Tell Harry I wish him well, in case I don't get to before the task. And if he needs anything…”

Smiling, she replied, “I'll let him know.”

Kari knew he'd rather walk into the lake with no plan than accept help from the boy who had taken Cho to the ball.

She continued to make her way upstairs, saying hello here and there to those who called out her name. Rounding the corner to the common room, she stretched and let out a sigh. No closer to a solution and running out of options was not a feeling she was used to.

“Black.”

Her senses snapped to attention quicker than they had when she thought Sirius was a murderer, standing in front of her for the first time. Turning, she squared her shoulders and quickly built a wall around her thoughts.

Mad-Eye let out a chuckle. “Well done, Black. Needs some work, but you're on the right track.”

“What do you want?” She snarled, unable to contain the rage that he had attempted to infiltrate her thoughts and  _ congratulated  _ her on her shoddy defense. “My friends are waiting for me.”

“Don't need to read your mind to know you're lying.” He said gruffly as he walked towards her, the sound of his wooden leg hitting the stone louder than she'd ever heard it. “They're… preoccupied.”

The way he said it made goosebumps erupt on her arms. “What-”

“Preparing for the second task tomorrow. Follow me.”

“No.”

He slanted her a glare. “That may be your favourite phrase to use around me. This is not a request.”

“I don't care. I'm busy, the second task is tomorrow and-”

“And the champions are supposed to do it on their own. No outside help. Let’s go.”

Kari felt her dinner rise up in her throat. “Where-”

“McGonagall’s office. The Headmaster needs to speak with you.”

Panicking, Kari glanced down at her book bag. The rules did state that the Champions were to receive no outside help but everyone did it. Harry was not the only one receiving help, even Cedric had gotten some - from Harry. Was that what that chat had been for? To confirm that she'd been helping him? 

She could deny it, of course. But if they were to demand that she hand over her book bag, they'd see endless notes on underwater breathing, spells she'd been working on, inventing, as a last resort. “Can I dump my bag in the common room? It's heavy and-”

“No,” he said with a grin. “Not so fun being on the receiving end of it, is it?” 

He laughed again, and Kari had no choice but to follow. Each step she took, her mind scrambled more to make sense of this turn of events, to find a loophole.

“Has Potter shared the riddle with you?”

Kari narrowed her eyes. “I don't know what you're on about.

“Cut the crap,” said Mad-Eye as he led her down the corridor. “Has he told you the riddle?”

Resigned, she fiddled with the end of her robe’s sleeve. “Yeah.”

“And?”

“And what?” Annoyance coated her snap. “It's a riddle. I was more concerned with him being underwater for an hour. I reckoned if I could at least help him with that, he could figure out the rest on his own.”

He let out a snort. “So you ignored the rest because you deemed it unimportant?”

“I didn't say that,” Kari said, frustrated. “If I can get him in the water, breathing the whole hour, he has a chance.”

“ _ We’ve taken what you'll sorely miss.” _

Kari rolled her eyes. “Good thing his prized possession is a bloody broomstick then. If they won't give it back, I'll just buy him a new one.”

He shook his head at her. “Merlin, you are daft.”

She didn't bother replying. Instead she gave him a mock thank you as she stepped into McGonagall’s office and felt her blood run cold as she spotted Ron and Hermione, lying still on cots. “ _ What on _ \- how, Professor.  _ Professor! _ ”

“Black, calm down,” said McGonagall sharply as Kari reached Hermione. “If you'll give me one second.”

Flashes of their second year soared through her mind, Hermione, petrified by the basilik, frozen in time. A noise, half wail, half growl, rose from within her. “One second. You have one second.”

McGonagall looked at her sympathetically. “Black. They are  _ fine.  _ They're under an enchanted sleep.”

“ _ Why _ ?” Kari cried as she turned around, face pinched.

“My doing, I'm afraid.” Dumbledore stepped into the office, levitating a tray of tea. “They're the ones the champions will be retrieving tomorrow.”

Kari frowned at him until realization hit. The force of it doubled her over and she leaned against Hermione’s cot.

_ We've taken what you'll sorely miss. _

She lifted her face to Mad-Eye’s, who was staring at her grimly. “Hermione is who he'd miss?”

“Mr . Weasley,” McGonagall said softly. “Black, there was only room for one.”

“Then why is Hermione here?”

“Our Bulgarian champion has grown quite fond of your friend,” said Mad-Eye gruffly.

Kari looked between the grown ups and back at Hermione and Ron. An ache she could not explain settled in her heart, new worry added to her despair over Harry’s predicament. One she was not part of, if she was not to be missed.

Unwanted for the Ball and now this.

Had she been fooling herself? Of course she'd been fond of Harry since the beginning, knew he at least tolerated her presence but she thought they were friends. Best of friends. In her mind, when she allowed it, maybe even more.

And yet,  _ Ron  _ was who he'd sorely miss.

Was she the Pettigrew of their group? Tagging along, not truly belonging but wishing she did?

“Why am I here?” She mumbled numbly. Ice ran through her veins. Kari felt trapped, in a room full of grown ups who did not understand her need to escape, to leave what she'd learned.

She was not wanted. She would not be missed.

Perhaps she'd known this all along. Harry was the one that misfortune followed, and he carried the burden. He leaned on Hermione for her knowledge and Ron for his support.

But what did she offer, if not sarcasm and prickly emotions? Her brilliance for spells and potions had helped them, but could've easily been done by Hermione if she were to leave. Who was she to push her way in, when Ron was valued in Harry’s life?

Dumbledore stepped forward, offering her a cup of tea. “My apologies,” he said softly as he set the cup down. “I'd forgotten your fondness for coffee.”

“Just a perk of being whisked away from home and growing up overseas.” The accusation was sharp, and she looked up at Dumbledore, daring her to contradict her statement. He said nothing, and she felt a pang of disappointment.

There were so many things she wanted to say. Instead, she curled her fingers into fists and once again asked, “why am I here?”

“You needed to understand,” said Mad-Eye gruffly.

She spared a glance in his direction and understood perfectly. Unwanted, unneeded, forgotten. She tightened her grip on her book bag, once again fighting the urge to flee the room. “I understand,” she forced herself to say, wondering what Harry was doing that very second while she was here being ambushed with a truth she did not want to confront.

In that moment, she felt just as alone as she imagined Sirius did. She wanted nothing more than to cry until she was empty, bury her face in her father’s neck and forget this ugly realization ever happened.

Of course, this was out of her reach. Sirius was hidden away and would be for several weeks yet.

She was alone.

“Kari-”

Her eyes shot up and she wondered what Dumbledore saw in them. Resentment, that once again she was the outsider? Anger, for she had no control over this new development? Betrayal, for not even an hour ago she had been gazing in Harry’s direction and wondering how to tell him she valued him.

She was a bloody fool.

“I need to get some sleep.”

“Professor Moody can walk you back to the Common Room. With this new information, I'm sure you can understand we do not want it leaking.” McGonagall said softly, kindly even. It did nothing to chip away at the barrier that Kari was building around herself. “Potter cannot know, Black.”

Kari snorted. “Of course not. And as I'm not the one he'll miss, he won't notice that I've gone straight to bed.”

“Perhaps we can stick her in the Hospital Wing,” Moody said, looking past Kari at Dumbledore. “It’s not out of the realm of possibility that she fell ill from nerves.”

Somehow that made her back stiffen and her eyes narrow dangerously. “I am  _ not _ going to the hospital wing. I do not fall to nerves, and anyone who know me would be suspicious. I'm going to bed.”

“Black, if you were not made aware of the situation, we worried you and Mr. Potter would take matters into your own hands and go looking for Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. When you get back upstairs, reassure Potter that they are still in the library and will be up late.”

Indignation flooded through her. Was it not enough that she had been shown in no uncertain terms how little Harry valued her? Ron had been chosen over her. Ron! Who had ignored Harry and offered no support until after the first task.

Schooling her face, she managed an eye roll. “Of course, Professor.”

McGonagall gave her a small smile. “Wonderful. Now. Professor Moody-”

“Ah.” Kari said softly, a dangerous s mile on her face. “Here's the thing. I'll be a good girl - go upstairs, tell Harry not to worry and then straight to bed… but not if he's going to take me there. I can find my own way.”

“Black, you'll be seen. If-”

Kari pulled out her wand and muttered a spell, vanishing before their eyes. “I go alone,” she said as she stared at Dumbledore, “or I don't help at all. You took a calculated risk keeping me in the loop. I'm not quite panning out how you reckoned, I bet.”

Dumbledore slyly looked between her and Mad-Eye before nodding. “Very well, Kari. Straight upstairs.”

Kari nodded, triumphant as she hurried out.

“Just what we bloody needed,” she heard McGonagall say with a groan as she walked to the door. “Another Black with the ability to be invisible. She's much too resourceful for her own good.”

Dumbledore’s reply was just loud enough for her to hear, amusement clear in his voice. “I don't know, Minerva. That reminds me of something Tori would do.”

Any other time and being compared to her parents would have had her grinning. Now, she felt nothing. Kari wound her way upstairs, unwilling to break her promise to Dumbledore. Mad-Eye had stared at her while the truth was thrown at her, and she'd been much too hurt to shield her thoughts. Had he seen how it had utterly destroyed her? How she didn't think she could face Harry lest she break down in front of him?

She muttered the password to the Common Room, peeking around the corner and cursing softly when she spotted Harry, surrounded by books. Part of her had hoped he'd still be downstairs, or perhaps in his room. 

No such luck, she thought bitterly. For a second, she thought of going upstairs without a word, without helping. Unnoticed. She was, after all, most certainly the thing he would miss the most.

Resentment, ugly and mean spirited, rose within her. Towards Harry and his lack of care when it came to their friendship. Towards Ron, who was not even around to help Harry for the first task. Towards Hermione, who lay unconscious as the object of someone’s affection she only just met.

Kari was awake and aware and hurting.

Harry groaned, running his hands through his hair and tipping his head back in frustration. “Kari, where  _ are _ you?”

Startled, she glanced down to make sure her charm was still in place. His voice was full of desperation, his body screamed of stress.

Heading upstairs without helping was not an option and she knew it. Muttering the incantation, her charm fell away and she strolled into the common room. “You rang?” She said easily as she tossed her book bag on the floor.

Harry looked up at her, his face going slack with relief. “Please tell me you have something.”

Grimacing, she shook her head. “Short of teaching you advanced magic in a night, I’m afraid not. I'm working on a spell but it won't be ready in time, not even close.”

He stared at her slack jawed. “I have nothing. Kari-”

Panic laced his voice as he began to pace. Her name on his lips rang in her mind, and she wondered how he could need her so little if he said it as if it was the answer to his prayers. Giving her head a quick shake, she let out a breath. “If you hadn't left this until now-”

He shot her a glare. “Don't.”

Kari stood up slowly, her emotions teetering at the surface. “I could ask Cedric for help? I ran into him and he asked-”

Harry stopped his pacing as he turned to face her. “He asked what?”

She crossed her arms and planted her feet. “If you were alright. If you had it all sorted out.”

“And?”

Eyes narrowed, Kari snapped, “and I lied. But if we need help-”

“Not from him.”

“Merlin’s tit, Harry. So he took Cho to the ball. It was ONE ball. She-”

“That's not what this is about-”

“Isn't it?” Kari cried angrily as she picked a book up from her bag and began to flip the pages so she wouldn't have to look at him.  “Harry, we have  _ nothing.  _ We've taken a swing and missed, and missed spectacularly at that. I wrote to Sirius and haven't heard from him yet-”

Harry rubbed his face wearily. “He must still be making his way here, we’re not set to see him for a couple of days.”

Just a few more days and her father would be near. Just a fear more days and she'd be able to lean on someone just as alone as she.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered.  _ For not being enough. For it being what you need. For letting you down. _

He shook his head, tossing her a glance. “You've done all you could.”

“If you don't have anything, you'll be disqualified. Harry…” Realization hit her. If he didn't do the task, the thing he would miss the most would remain at the bottom of the lake. While she didn't truly believe Dumbledore would leave a student to rot in a watery grave because a Champion didn't complete a task, she couldn't be sure.

She couldn't trust them, she realized with a start. “You need to be able to do this.”

“I  _ know _ ,” he said through gritted teeth. “ _ How?” _

Kari leaned forward in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose as a headache set in. “I have more books upstairs. I'll keep working on that spell. We may need to pull an all nighter again.”

“Ron and Hermione should be back soon,” he mumbled as he took a stack of books from her. “Maybe they'll have something.”

She hummed in agreement, remembering the stillness of their bodies above them. “We’ll figure this out,” she promised as she ruffled his hair.

“We always do,” he muttered with a snort. “Kari.”

Kari stopped at the bottom of the stairs, rearranging her book bag. “Yes?”

“Thank you. For… being here. For helping.”

Her heart lurched, and her throat closed up. She smiled at him, hoping he would not see the agony on her face as she wondering if he truly meant it.

*

She woke with a start, lurching into a sitting position. Papers stuck to her face, and she batted them away wildly. 

And then she remembered. The ache of the truth settled in her heart and she wished desperately for Hermione’s now decommissioned Time Turner to go back and prevent herself from ever running into Mad-Eye.

Her bed beckoned, oblivion only a blink of sleep away. Glancing at the window, she knew it was close to the start of the second task.

She'd failed Harry. Perhaps he hadn't believed her completely useless before but surely he did now. A quick glance at her clock told her she had less than fifteen minutes until the start of the task.

It was very, very tempting to just stay in bed.

Because she was no coward, she slid off her bed and changed into a jumper and jeans, throwing a robe on for good measure. She could not stop shivering.

“One… two..  _ three!” _

Kari arrived just in time to watch as Harry stuff something into his mouth, and laughter erupt as he stood in the lake, water up to his knees. She pushed past people, making it next to George who glanced down at her grim face before looking around. “Where are Hermione and Ron?”

“They're preoccupied,” she said through clenched teeth as her eyes narrowed. Harry was grasping his neck, gasping. “What did he eat?”

“Dunno,” said Fred as he peered at Harry through binoculars. “What did he have planned?”

Kari shrugged helplessly. Harry suddenly launched himself into the water and she stared at the spot he had been only seconds before, waiting for him to emerge and tell the panel of judges that he had failed. When he didn't return the surface, and she was satisfied that he hadn't sunk to the bottom of the lake and drowned, she closed her eyes and tried not to think.

The hour felt endless. Each time a champion would emerge, she felt a sense of relief and then despair.  _ Where was he?  _ Had he run into trouble? She should've taught him more offensive spells, she should've-

“There!” George said quickly as he pointed. “He's got Ron. And…”

Kari frowned. “Must be Fleur’s person to retrieve. And since she couldn't…”

The sense of relief that had rushed through her as she watched Harry and Ron as they helped the girl towards the judges was quickly replaced by a sense of numbness as she heard Pansy Parkinson hiss with glee plain in her voice, “so Black  _ isn't  _ the thing Potter would miss most? My, what a reality check for someone who seems to think they're The Boy Who Lived first choice!”

Kari felt her spine stiffen, keeping her eyes trained on Harry as he pulled Ron towards the shore. They begin to sting, and she told herself was from the lack of blinking. 

Besides her, George shifted and reached for her hand. “Kari…”

The pity in his voice had her recoiling. Her eyes met his, daring him to say anything further. Understanding, and hurt, settled in his eyes and yet she couldn't find it in her heart to care. Behind her, Parkinson still cackled. Out of breath, she turned on her heel and made her way back to the castle.


	14. Chapter 14

There were so many places to hide.

Kari discovered that she'd grown very good at avoiding the confrontation that she was sure was coming, one that she created by running away and refusing to talk to Harry. 

Not for lack of trying on his part. She arrived late to classes and sat at the very back, eyes fixed on her book and notes and cauldron. If her work ethic had been outstanding after the Yule Ball, it was now being knocked out of the park by her determination to keep her head down and avoid everyone.

It was driving Hermione insane. A part of her enjoyed being on top of her class for once, instead of skimming at the very top, lazily working to get just good enough grades. 

Harry tried to talk to her, a stunned look on his face whenever she'd disappear before he could get a hello in. Ron was sent in his place and found it just as frustrating to get a hold of her. Even Hermione couldn't seem to get a second alone with her, something she found infuriating considering they slept in the same dorm. Kari made sure that she would be the last to go to bed, and if not she'd use her invincibility spell, working harder and harder to make sure it was foolproof. 

She had not been important enough to be missed, to be Harry’s to rescue. Why should she be missed now? 

Late one evening, she found herself making her way to the kitchens. She'd skipped dinner in an attempt to avoid her friends and was hoping the house elves would be kind enough to help her. Daydreaming of gravy and bread and chicken, she plowed into another person. A yelp escaped her as she tumbled down, book bag spilling everywhere. “Sorry!” She cried out as she shook the hair off her face, bright pink blossoming on her cheeks at the sight of Cedric. “I'm so sorry, I didn't notice-”

Cedric laughed, his eyes warm. “Lost in your thoughts. I understand. Are you alright?”

She accepted his outstretched hand, grunting as she hoisted herself up with his help. Her hip sung with pain. “I'll live,” Kari said with a grimace. “You?”

He flashed her a smile, and Kari found herself smiling back. “I think I'll be okay. What are you doing down here?”

Her stomach let out a loud growl, causing Cedric to burst out laughing. “I missed dinner.” It wasn't an outright lie, and Kari leaned down to pick up her books now scattered on the floor. “You?”

“Common room is down this way,” he said conversationally as he handed her books. “How are you doing?”

Puzzled, she raised an eyebrow. “Can't complain. Congratulations on the second task. I haven't had a chance to say that. You did well.”

“As did Harry. I was worried for him down there.”

“Weren't we all,” she muttered, unable to hide the bitterness from her voice. 

Cedric hesitated. “He was waiting for you.”

She froze. “I wasn't supposed to be down there.”

“He didn't know that.”

Kari let out a bark of laughter. “Of course he did. He had one person to save. It was Ron.”

“But it's never been  _ just  _ Weasley, has it?” Cedric said softly. “He was sure it was a trick, sure they had you too. I tried telling him that wasn't the case, and even with that, he played hero. I didn't even think to help Fleur’s sister. She was safe.”

“He didn't know that.” She echoed his earlier words, let out a slow breath. “He's got that ‘must help everyone’ complex. Idiot.”

Cedric chuckled. “I’d say it's a running theme for the lot of you. Don't look at me like that, don't think we haven't noticed how much you help Harry.”

Kari held his gaze, unable to hide the anger she felt. Of course the whole school knew she'd do anything for him. “He should've come straight back up. He got there first.”

"You were supposed to be down there,” he said again. He studied her, sighing. “I can't pretend to know how this feels, knowing he cares about you but not being the thing he'd miss most. But he  _ does _ care about you. Anyone can see that.”

_ Just not enough to be missed the most. _

The voice in her head sounded entirely too much like Mad-Eye, and she shuddered. “It doesn't matter,” she said lightly as she closed her bag. “I wasn't down there, he knew that.  _ Should've  _ known that. You can't have two things you miss the most.”

Of course you can,” Cedric said, surprise in his voice. “I like Cho. Immensely. But I must confess, I was surprised not to see my best friend down there. I've known him for ages.”

Kari blinked. The thing he'd miss most, at that period of time, perhaps? Ron had been absent from his life throughout the first half of the tournament, while she'd stood by him. How could he miss her, if she didn't go anywhere? “Who knows how the judges pick what you'd miss most? It's not like they know you, or your true self. I suppose they go by what they see.”

“Who knows,” he agreed, laughing again as her stomach let out a enormous growl. “Go eat. I'd hate to be the reason your stomach makes that sound for the third time.”

She grinned. “I must like you, if I'm standing here yammering away while food is nearby. Thank you, Cedric.”

He nodded slightly, and she was grateful he didn't ask what her thanks were for. “I'll be seeing you around, Kari.”

Waving over her shoulder, she continued her way to the kitchens, calling her hellos and waving away help from the house elves that lingered around. “If there's leftovers, I can get them myself.”

“Please, miss.” A tiny voice said as the other house elves dispersed. “Let me help.”

Kari’s eyebrows shot up as she recognized the house elf. “Winky. I- Truly, I know the way around here. I'm a regular snacker, after all.”

The house elf shifted uncomfortably from feet to feet. “I needs to help. To serve.”

It was Kari’s turn to be uncomfortable. “If you insist, you can help. But as much as I appreciate your help, I don't want you to serve me.” When the house elf’s lip began to quiver, Kari winced before kneeling to the ground and taking her tiny hands in hers. “I truly would love some food though. Something warm perhaps?” 

Winky’s eyes, shimmering with tears, looked up at her hopefully. “Maybe I can help the miss and give her some chicken?”

She all but salivated. Her stomach growled. “If it's handy,” she said easily as she stood. “Some bread, if it's laying about. I can look for it-”

“No, no!” Winky cried excitedly. “I can do it.”

Sighing, she set her book bag on a stool. There was no stopping the house elf now. Deciding she could at least get herself something to drink without offending her, she turned and froze.

“Hello,” said George easily from his perch on top of a counter. “Didn't think I'd let you keep ignoring me for much longer, did you?”

Kari crossed her arms. “I haven't been ignoring just you, I'll have you know.”

“I know, I know,” he said as he raised his hands up in mock surrender. “I'm not special enough for that.”

“I never said that,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes.  

George smiled. “Of course not. I don't think you'd be _that_ mean. I've missed you though. Where have you been hiding?”  

She shrugged. “I haven't-”

“Don't lie to me.” His tone was hard but his smile was still in place. “We've all noticed-”

“I can't just be on my own for a bit?” Kari found herself snapping and not caring. “Besides, _you_ ignored _me_ after the Yule Ball.”  

“That's not true-”

Kari silenced him with a look. “You almost kissed me.”

George stilled, staring into her storming eyes. “I did,” he said finally, his voice gruff. 

“And then you didn't,” she let out a breath before she began pacing. “You got caught up in the moment. I'm your brother’s friend. You don't like me that way.”

“Is that what you really think?” George jumped off the counter with a snort. “What a ridiculous question. Of course it is. It couldn't possibly be anything on your end.”

“I… wait, what?” Momentarily at a loss for words, Kari could only open her mouth before closing it over and over again. “What did  _ I _ -”

“You're hung up on Harry.” He said it so simply, so offhandedly. George laughed at the stunned up look on her face. “He may be oblivious but you can't fool me. I didn't kiss you. Won't kiss you. Even if I've never just thought of you a ‘my kid brother’s friend’. That's not who you are to me. But I refuse to be your second choice when you're pining for Harry.”

“I am  _ not hung up on Harry! _ ” It came out as a shrill whisper, and she felt heat on her cheeks as she looked at anywhere but him. “I care for him, of course I do. But he's just my friend. I care for  _ you _ .”

He smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. “I believe you. But I know that you care for him too. I can't be your stand in for when Harry isn't paying you attention. I deserve better than that. And so do you.”

Kari began to shiver. “That's it then.”

“That's it,” he agreed. George walked towards her with a sigh. “You're my friend, Kari. You've been my friend since day one, before you became friends with any of them. From the moment I saw you, I was pulled towards you. I can't deny that. Won't deny that. I don't want to mess things up between us. You're too important to me.”

“You're important to me too,” she whispered helplessly before a tiny sob was ripped from her chest.

George wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as she buried her face in his chest. She smelled of lavenders and honey, and he found himself inhaling deeply. “Don't cry, little one,” he murmured as he ran his hands on her back. “I can't stand seeing you sad.”

“Confused,” she admitted as she pulled back and looked up at him. “It's been a confusing couple of weeks. I was so sure you didn't want me.”

He brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “Someday you'll understand just how much I want you. All of you. I'm selfish that way, I suppose. I want your undivided attention. Maybe it's because I'm a twin. I'm not very good at sharing someone I care about.” 

Kari chuckled. She didn't want to pull away completely, didn't know when she'd be back in his arms. Didn't know if she'd be able to give him what he needed. “Someday seems so far off, George.”

“We’ll learn to make this work. When things are less hectic for both of us. I'm not giving up, mind you. Just giving you space to figure out what you want.”

_ I want you.  _ The force of that thought surprised her, but she knew saying it wouldn't be fair to either of them. Not when she knew how she felt when Harry smiled at her, how her skin tingled whenever he brushed his hands on hers.

Whatever she felt towards Harry was nowhere near how she felt towards George. Her skin fairly hummed at his touch, as if receptive to his every movement. His scent, so very George, swam in her mind dizzily. She imagined leaning up and kissing him, losing herself mind in that action. 

She didn't. Instead she pulled away and gave him a watery smile. “That's mighty big of you.”

His face lit up, a joke on the tip of his mouth before he shook his head and laughed softly. “You have no idea how much I'm already regretting being selfless. It's no fun.”

“We’d have been fun together,” she admitted. Laughter was something they shared, always trying to one up each other. 

“And we will be,” he assured her as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “We can be fun as friends.” 

“We  _ are _ fun,” she agreed, feeling lighter. Not better, but lighter. That was the beauty of George - no matter what, he always made sure she'd smile. “How'd you know I'd be down here?”

It was his turn to send her a look, full of disbelief. “You like to eat.”

Kari laughed. “Guilty as charged. I skipped dinner-”

“You avoided Harry.” George corrected.

She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes a bit. “I'm pretty sure you just pre-broke up with me. You don't also get to beat me up emotionally when it comes to my friends.”

His grin was lopsided. “Some might say I very chivalrously stepped aside so that you wouldn't feel pressured, you know.” 

Winky appeared with a tray full of food - not only chicken but cold cuts of meats, a slice of meatloaf, bread, potatoes and  _ gravy _ . Her stomach chose that moment to let out a wall and another laughed escaped her. “Winky, you're a godsend. Truly.” The tiny elf looked pleased, a slight tinge of rose colouring her skin. “I don't know how to thank you. I had resigned myself to cold chicken and bread.”

“The miss does not need to thank,” the house elf replied, fairly glowing with pride. “Winky is happy serving.” 

“You've outdone yourself.” The first bite into the chicken had a chorus of angels going off in her head. A satisfactory moan escaped her. 

George burst out laughing. “That's a new level of food happy.”

Sighing contentedly, she replied, “it is. There's enough here to feed us for weeks though. Help me with some of it.”

“You're willingly offering to share food? I'm not to lose a finger?” He teased her with a wink. “If you insist, I suppose I could eat.”

Kari smiled at him, the knot of dread in her stomach that had set up a permanent home for the last couple of days loosing a bit. She wasn't back to normal, knowing there was one thing that she'd have to do in order to lose it completely but not being able to do it yet.

Instead she listened to George, laughing at his jokes and enjoying his company. Wishing she could give him what he needed, hoping she'd figure things out before it was too late.

*

“There you are. You've been avoiding me.”

Kari glanced up at Harry as he made his way towards her. She sat on a rock at the edge of the lake, but jumped off it as he reached it. Anger, hurt, envy and so many other emotions rolled over her as she kept her eyes trained on his. 

Harry sighed, exasperated. “I didn't get to pick, Kari.”

She bristled in annoyance, eyes flashing. “I don't need an explanation-”

“Bullocks. You've been avoiding me.” Harry snapped angrily.

Kari narrowed her eyes. “I don't have to spend my every waking second with you.”

He blinked at her. “Of course you don't. But you have barely said a word to me since the second task, Ron says he's seen you a couple times. Hermione-”

“And?” She started to walk away, back towards the castle and away from this conversation. 

“And I didn't get to pick!” He cried.

She jerked her head once, stiffly. “So you've said. It's fine, really. It makes sense. Ron  _ is _ your best mate.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “So are you.”

Kari knew it was stupid, knew it was possible for a person to have more than one and yet… “I'm glad it was Ron. The water would've made my hair horribly frizzy and-”

“Don't do that,” said Harry quickly as she began to rattle off. “Kari, don't shut me out. I need you-”

Childishly, she raised her eyes and said, “but not as much as you need Ron.”

“ _ It should've been you! _ ” Harry said loudly and forcefully, his eyes flashing in anger. A group of Ravenclaws further down the lake looked over at them curiously. Kari stared at them coldly until they walked away. “It should've been you,” he said, softly this time as he raked his hands through his hair. “Once they announced the task, I knew it'd be someone I cared about. It was you, on my mind as I swam, even though Dobby had told me it was Ron. How could it not be you, there had to be some mistake. And then I saw Ron and… I didn't understand. Hermione was there, and Fleur’s sister and… and Cho-”

Kari felt cold. “So most everyone you cared about… except me.”

Harry took a deep breath. “But it should've been you. Maybe it wasn't because I can't imagine missing you, not even during the holidays because I know we'll be together again. You're my constant friend, the one I can go to with any stupid idea and not be judged. Maybe it wasn't you because I would be lost without you. Maybe, for once in this bloody challenge, they went easy on me and went with the one I wouldn't be fretting about the most.”

“I see,” she whispered, sitting back down on the rock, not truly understanding at all. 

“I don't just mean this task, Kari.” He reached for her hand, and sighed. “I've been a crummy friend. The Ball. I should've asked you. I'm sorry.”

“We would've had a blast,” she said after a bit, still not quite recovered as his words rang around in her mind. It should've been her, and yet it wasn't. “Parkinson is convinced I mean as much to you as the dirt on your shoe.”

Any other time, and Harry would've laughed at the joke. This time, he knew just by looking at her face, it was no laughing matter. He hesitated before placing his hand on her cheek, brushing it softly. “She's an idiot. You mean the world to me and I'm sorry I haven't shown it. Not ever, now that I think about it.”

“That's not true,” said Kari quickly. “You bought me that really cool mug.”

“Truly the only way to show someone you care,” he said with a grin. “Forgive me?”

She shook her head. “There's nothing to forgive.”

“Still-”

“Fine,” she said with a laugh. “I'm sorry too. For not coming to you. For avoiding you.”

Harry sighed. “I understand why. I wish I could understand what they do and pick the way they did. If I had to have done the task this past week… it would have definitely been you at the bottom of the lake. I've missed you, Kari.”

He said it so softly, his voice hoarse. She felt her eyes prickle with tears, an emotion that she didn't understand rising in her throat. “I've missed you too,” she admitted, embarrassed by how her voice betrayed her feelings. Harry moved towards her, arms open. Without hesitating, she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulders as his arms wrapped around her.

It felt odd and not at all how she thought it would. Shifting to look up at him, she saw confusion flash across his face. “This is…”

“Different.” Her breath was a puff of breath, and she was suddenly afraid. Her near brush with George had been exhilarating and exciting, her body reacting as surprise took her when she realized she longed to kiss him. 

Kari didn't feel that with Harry. She was scared to lean up and kiss him, and they both hovered, unsure of where to go next. They'd both seen the obvious signs that perhaps they were meant for each other, they leaned on each other too much for that not to be the case. 

And now that they were here, neither one could seem to do anything about it. It wasn't like George, where he waited for her to make the first move. This time, she knew, they both had to get there together or risk a friendship built on trust and respect crumble over a kiss gone wrong.

Smiling sheepishly, she pulled away and bowed her head. “I missed you too.” 

Harry let out a small hum, lifting her chin up with his finger. His green eyes searched hers, unsure of her retreat. “You know I  _ do _ care for you, right?”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Not the way that Ron or Hermione do,” he clarified quickly. “It's different, with you. I feel like I can do anything. You make me believe in myself.”

Kari held his stare with eyes that she hoped conveyed how much she cared. “A good friend will do that to you,” she said pointedly. “We've known each other for so long, Harry.”

He nodded slowly. “We have. And I would hate to lose you.”

Her lips quirked into a smile. “You won't.”

“I thought I had.”

“You didn't.” She pulled his hands into hers, rubbing them together for warmth. “I felt… unloved, I suppose.”

Harry’s brow furrowed. “Rubbish. I  _ do _ love you.”

Silence fell between them as his words hung in the air.  _ I care about you _ was one thing.  _ I love you  _ felt more real, more confusing. It was territory she was unfamiliar with, one that she didn't have a spell or charm for. Kari let out a slow, steadying breath. Her heart beat quickly, urging her to say it back, to tell him she didn't know where to go from here but she wanted to travel that road with him.

Did she though? The thought was perhaps the most confusing of all. She'd dreamed of this moment for ages, had imagined Harry telling her that he cared for her and feeling joy. Instead her tongue felt too big and her mind was blank. 

It hadn't with George, she realized with a start. She had known, in that moment, that she would fight to maintain that friendship so that perhaps some day they may approach that subject again. 

With Harry, she worried that she'd be wrecking something special and too important. His friendship was a part of her, and she would love him in secret, daydream of his eyes and his smile and the way he touched his glasses repeatedly when he was nervous. She knew his ticks and nervous habits, they way all of them combined made him truly special and maddening.

She was in trouble.

“I suppose Parkinson will lose a bet then,” she replied after a beat, her smile still plastered on her face. “Surely she had this down as the end of our friendship.”

Harry recognized her attempt at humor as a way to deflect his words, a way to give him an out should he want it. And because he worried about the same things as she did, knew it wasn't the time to push this, he let out a small snort. “No one ever claimed she was bright.”

They untangled limbs with nervous laughter and by the time they returned to the castle, it was as if the past week had never happened. 

*

Kari re-read the letter in her hands with a small smile.

_ Fancy meeting me at the Three Broomsticks around 3:30pm today? I know you're bound to be busy but I'd love catching up. Just the two of us. _

_ Love, _

_ Remus _

“Oi! You coming?” Ron hollered at her at the entrance to the school.

She scowled at him as she jogged up to them, hiking the bag of food she'd nicked from the kitchens earlier up on her shoulders. “I don't see you offering to help.”

Harry laughed. “Here. Let me.”

Flashing him a smile, she fell into step with him as they made their way into town. At the sight of a scraggly black dog at the end of the road, Kari’s heart soared. “Sirius,” she breathed as he bounded over, sniffing the bag that Harry carried and doing circles around her before leading them away. She looked over at Harry, whose grin matched her own.

When they reached the cave, all four of them sunk into a low bow for Buckbeak. He returned it, looking pleased with himself. As soon as it was safe, and Sirius had transformed back into his human form (Kari watched carefully as he did, taking in how easily he did it for when she tried it the first time) she barreled into his arms.

He grunted at the force of the impact but inhaled deeply, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “Careful. I smell.”

“I don't care,” she said sincerely, burying her face in his chest. “I've missed you.”

Sirius cleared his throat but his voice was still sore when he said, “I've missed you too. My, but you've grown.”

A laugh escaped her as she pulled back, looking up at him with shimmering eyes. Ones that looked just like hers, whose face once upon a time, looked like hers too. “Only a little. You're skinny. I'll send you more food, i’ll-”

“I'm fine,” he said quickly. “It's not your job to take care of me, Kari.”

She sent him an incredulous look. “It's not like it's any trouble.”

“I won't ever turn down free food.” Sirius said as he brushed her cheek with his finger. “Just be careful not to draw too much attention.”

“You're one to speak,” she scoffed. “Sirius, this is dangerous.”

“Not as dangerous as what's been going on here.” Looking gravely at the Daily Prophet papers littering the floor, he turned to Harry and said, “tell me what you know.”

They all took turns explaining the recent events, and halfway through Kari felt a wave of hatred for Crouch at the news that he'd been the one that had sent Sirius to Azkaban without a trial, without the chance to explain. She thought of how he had singled her out at the World Cup, how he had seemed determined to pin the Dark Mark on her. Sirius’ face turned dark at this, placing a hand on her shoulder and muttering an apology. Kari shook her head and continued on. She'd known all along the man was focus minded and had refused to look at the evidence until his house elf had been the one found. 

What caught her attention was when Harry brought up Snape and his run in with Karkaroff, at how he had shown him something on his forearm. Sirius looked at her quickly before shaking his head and saying he wasn't sure what that was about. It was too quick, too slick for Kari to be convinced by it. 

Just like she knew Sirius had not been convinced when Mad-Eye was brought up and everyone raved about him - except her. He sent her a questioning look but she shook her head again, refusing to burden Sirius with this one more thing. She was handling it and Sirius obviously respected Mad-Eye. Mostly she worried how he'd react at the idea of a man invading her mind, making her feel vulnerable.

It wouldn't end well.

Time passed much too quickly, and when they said their goodbyes, a knot threatened to choke her. She hugged her father fiercely, promised to check up on him more and send him food.

Sirius grinned at her. 

“You lot go on back to the castle,” she said when they reached the fork in the road. “I need to pick up some supplies and look at some books.”

“Hurry back before curfew,” Hermione said. “And  _ be careful. _ ” 

Kari smiled. “I've got my wand. I'll be alright.” 

She waited for them to disappear from view, scanned the area and walked towards the Three Broomsticks. Kari spotted Remus immediately, in the back nursing a drink. “Hiya, Moony.”

He turned around, face splitting into a smile. “Hello, moonshine.”

She slid into the seat in front of him with a laugh. The waitress came over and took her drink order, bustling away just as quickly as she'd arrived. Finally she looked over at Remus and sighed with happiness. “You know,” she said conversationally as she sipped on the drink placed in front of her. “I'm beginning to remember more. From before. When I lived with you.”

Grief flashed through his face before it was replaced by a smile. He took a sip of his drink. “I would say that's impossible but you continue to surprise me. Kari. The wolfsbane potion… you don't have to make it, I've lived with these transformations my whole life, I-”

“I would really appreciate it if grown ups would stop telling me what I don't  _ have _ to do,” she drawled a bit of heat. “I  _ know _ I don't have to. But I want to. I am able to, and I have deep pockets. Remus, it's the least I could do.”

He hummed softly. “I knew it'd be useless to try to talk you out of it. Just like Padfoot, too stubborn for your own good.”

“Speaking of Padfoot.” Kari lowered her voice, glancing about before facing Remus. “I don't know if you know-”

Remus looked at her over the rim of his drink. “That he's been foolish and currently here in Hogsmeade? I might have heard.”

Her jaw dropped. “How-”

Chuckling, he playfully tapped her jaw. Kari snapped it shut. “I care for him. And you. I would hate to see the heartbreak you both would go through because he's gone and done something reckless. I've been keeping an eye on him.” He paused before he shrugged. “He doesn't know. He'd hate it.”

“Must be something in the air,” she said gruffly as she cleared her throat and blinked back tears. “I've been watching out for him too.”

He wrapped his hand around hers. “Ah, my brave Kari. My sweet, kind moonshine. You're so much like your mother. You're becoming a remarkable young woman. I hope you know that I'm here for you, no matter what you need.”

When evening fell, she walked back to the castle feeling lighter and freer than she'd felt in ages. 

She tried not to think about all that lay ahead, and instead hoped she'd be strong enough to weather it.


	15. Chapter 15

Her journey transfiguration was proving difficult. To be an Animagus there were several things she needed to do, to practice. Problem was she was in a castle full of people and prying teachers who seemed to have her number when it came to her wandering on her own. 

McGonagall in particular seemed to have her number. Whether she knew Kari was up to something or not, she'd materialize out of nowhere and casually question her. She almost found it annoying except she had come to admire her ability to know exactly when Kari was thinking of trying her skills out. 

It's almost like she had known her father.

The door to the dormitory opened, and Kari glanced up from her book to greet Harry. He'd gone to meet with Ludo Bagman regarding the third task and it later than she expected him. “OI,” she called out mid yawn. “What took you so-  _ Harry! _ ”

His face was flushed and mouth set into a grim line. “Where are the others?”

“Getting ready for bed. What-”

He rushed over to her, sinking heavily into the couch next to her. She saved her books from being crushed by him, yelping as he sat on her legs. “I saw him,” he croaked, running his hands through his hair. 

Her stomach twisted horribly. “Voldemort?”

Startled, Harry turned to her. Saw her eyes widened in fear, her mouth opened in a silent gasp. “No,” he said quickly as he grabbed her hands, pulling them away from her face. “Kari,  _ no.  _ No, nothing like that. Well.. maybe something like that. Mr. Crouch. I saw Mr. Crouch.”

Kari blinked stupidly. “But he's missing. How… what…”

Laughing darkly, he nodded. “I reckon he's missing still. Krum asked to speak to me. After we were shown what the third task will be - a maze. Cup will be in the middle, we have to get to it. Lots of stuff between us and it,” he explained quickly as the question formed on her face. “Afterwards, he asked if he could talk to me. About Hermione.”

“About  _ Hermione _ ?” Kari sputtered a laugh. “Why?” 

Shrugging helplessly, Harry said miserably, “he's been listening to the rumors courtesy of Rita Skeeter.” 

“Sounds like he's taken one too many bludgers to the head if he puts any stock in that nonsense,” she said with a snort. 

“He's really taken with her,” he said softly. After a beat, he added, “he thinks I flew well in the first task.”

Kari shot him a grin. “High praise from him, I reckon. But go on. What happened then?”

He told his story, her mouth setting into a grim line at the mention of Mad-Eye. “He just happened to show up?”

Harry jerked his head. “Used to be an Auror, didn't he? I reckon he knew something was up. He still has my map.”

She grunted her response instead of saying what she thought, of her lack of trust for Mad-Eye. “Where did Crouch go though? If he was as weak as you say and delirious to boot, he can't have gotten far. And if he has information about Voldemort, it's imperative that he's found.”

“Mad-Eye is on it,” said Harry confidently. “Just because he hadn't found him when I left doesn't mean he won't.”

Kari wished she could be as confident. Instead, she smiled and bid him goodnight while her mind raced with possibilities, each more outrageous than the rest.

She didn't discount any of them, she'd seen too much and had experienced even more. Mad-Eye barked constantly about constant vigilance. Despite what he thought of her, she was a quick learner. 

Vigilant of Alastor Moody was the politest way of saying she didn't trust him, not one bit. 

*

At the owlery, Kari listened to her friends discuss different scenarios for how Crouch had vanished. Her lack of faith in Mad-Eye’s skills had not been wrong, he had been unable to locate Crouch. While they listed possibilities - each more outrageous than the last thanks to Ron’s vivid imagination, she methodically tied her package of potions for Remus, making sure it was secure on her owl. Satisfied, she allowed him nuzzle her hand before flying off, careful and slow. 

She was about to turn around and declare all their theories as nonsense when voices coming up the stairs caught her attention.

Or rather, one voice, so much alike the other it was a wonder she could tell them apart at all, had her mind buzzing. Hermione hushed the others and they listened to the Weasley twins’ conversation. Her brows furrowed into a scowl as she listened to them talk about blackmail and payoffs. 

The door opened and everyone froze. Kari was the first to break, narrowing her eyes as she stared at George. The interrogation began rather absurdly, one overlapping the other until Fred slyly cut it off. They brushed off Ron’s concerns, all the while Kari remained quiet and George avoided her gaze. When they left and her friends began to discuss this development, she glanced at the door before waking after the twins. “I'll catch you lot later,” she said as she reached the door, determined to get an answer. 

She bounded down the stairs, her robe trailing behind her. Grunting as she landed on the last step, Kari spotted the twins and set her mouth into a grim line. “George!”  

They paused, and Fred turned to his brother, whispered to him feverishly. She strode towards them, angry now, as she heard Fred hiss, “we can just keep walking, pretend we didn't hear-”

“But  _ I  _ did hear  _ that _ , so there goes your plan,” she snapped at Fred. He turned to her, a charming smile on his face. “Don't,” she snarled with a flick of her wrist, dismissing him. “I'm not here for you. Go.”

He was about to argue but George shook his head. “Don't do anything  _ stupid _ ,” said Fred with a smile but his tone clearly implied more.

Kari was determined to find out  _ what.  _ “How is this going to shake down?” Crossing her arms, she looked up at George while her brown eyes danced angrily. “What possible lie are you going to come up with? I'm almost interested to find out.”

George shrugged. “You know Fred and I are always scheming. What-”

“It's different when you're blackmailing someone that could land them in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.” She watched a million emotions flash through his face - worry, determination, agreement. It was all quickly replaced by a quick smile. It infuriated her. “You know I'm always game for your schemes. But this sounds bigger, George. I know Fred is your brother, but don't let him drag you down something that could blow up in your face. Who are you blackmailing? Is it a student? A teacher?” 

“Don't worry yourself about it, little one.” He said easily as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Just a quick way to make some gold.”

Kari sneered. “I'm sure it'll be helpful to you when you land in prison.”

“Nothing so serious, I promise.” George made an X over his heart, that lopsided smile back on his face. “You're sounding more and more like Percy-”

“Oh, cut the crap.” Kari hissed angrily. “That may have worked on Ron, but it won't work on me. If I sound like Percy, it's because I care about you. If following the rules will keep you out of trouble, so be it. Who are you blackmailing, George?”

“Who are you afraid of?” 

The question caught her by surprise, leaving her speechless for a second before she glared at him. “That's not going to work either.”

“You tell me, and I tell you.” He shrugged when she stubbornly shook her head. “I've been worried too. You've not been yourself, you're closed off sometimes. Something, someone, has you spooked. Let me help.”

Kari squared her shoulders. “I can take care of myself.” 

George raised an eyebrow at her, his face stony. “So can I.”

They stood like that for a minute - Kari with crossed arms and narrowed eyes and George with a smile and his carefree stance. She broke first. “I'm not going to give this up. You know this.”

“Oh, I don't doubt it. But you have Harry to worry about. And between he and I, I know your worry for him will win out.”

“Yes, because I can't possibly worry about two people at the same time.” Her reply was dry, a smirk on her face. “My little mind can't take too much, you're absolutely right.”

“I didn't mean-”

Kari shrugged. “I know what you meant, or the intent behind it anyways. You're set on being second, so be it.”

“I am  _ not _ set on-”

“But just because I worry about him doesn't mean I care less for you. Maybe  _ you'll  _ figure that out someday, George Weasley. Until you do, I don't see how this can work. You can't toss that in my face  _ every time.”  _

George ran a hand through his hair, looking puzzled. “I don't want to lose you.” 

Kari’s shield fell away, just for a second, as she lifted her eyes and whispered, “then quit lying to me. Stop insulting me by pretending this isn't a big deal. If there's one thing I can't stand it's  _ lying. _ ”

“It works both ways,” he said furiously. George looked at the stubborn set of her jaw, at the way she retreated as he said the words. “You can't expect to barge in and fix everything if you're not willing to let me  _ help _ , Karina.”

His stubbornness made her smile, surprising him. “But you do help,” she murmured as she placed a hand on his cheek. “Don't you see? Whenever my thoughts get all… overwhelming, you're  _ there _ . You don't realize how much you help, even when you don't know what's bothering me.”

“I know you're strong enough to look after yourself.” He said finally as he reached for her hand, taking it away from his face and staring at it. “It's maddening and inspiring all at once.”

“Promise me, whatever you're up to, you'll stay safe. Be smart.”

George tucked a strand of her behind her ear, smiling. “Only if you'll do the same.”

Kari let out a long-suffering sigh. “Can't just throw me a bone, can you? Always with the counter offer.”

“I'm a businessman,” he said with a wink. “It's what I do.”

*

As the Third Task approached, Kari hated to admit that George had been right. She received constant letters from Sirius, worried about Harry and instructing her on spells to help Harry practice. She found herself back in empty classrooms with him, trying to get him up to speed on hexes and jinxes and trying not to cackle with the delight at Ron’s stunned look on his face when he realized how much she held back on a day to day basis.

“You're terrifying,” he said with a shudder after a demonstration session, where Hermione had worked hard to keep her shield up while Kari threw jinx after hex after curse her way. “Truly, you're a walking arsenal of pain.”

“Good thing I'm on your side then,” she snorted. 

Kari worked with Harry on his Shield Charm, deflecting questions as to why she got so good at it. Her mind had flashed back to that afternoon with Mad-Eye and it made her blood boil. She focused that energy on Harry and school and everything else currently swirling in her mind.

After a meeting with Dumbledore, Harry’s curiosity got the better of him and he'd gone snooping through the Pensive in his office. He'd come out of that encounter with knowledge of Death Eaters of days past, and Kari found herself guarded around Karkaroff and Snape. The former didn't seem to notice, he had never approved of her friendliness with the Durmstrang students and seemed to be relieved that she'd kept her distance after Mr. Crouch had gone missing. 

The latter had noticed. Snape had mentioned it one night, her lack of want for chatter being a big hint, and she'd brushed it off and said she'd had a lot on her mind with the Third Task coming up. She wondered if Dumbledore had told him that Harry knew that he'd been a Death Eater. Knew that he'd come to the conclusion that if Harry knew, she'd know as well. As they brewed potions in silence, part of him hated him for following Voldemort. A smaller part wondered what he'd done to gain Dumbledore’s trust. 

With all this going on, she still worked on her Animagus training (and suddenly making wonderful progress, something that she couldn't quite believe how naturally it was coming along) and reading up on Rita Skeeter. She couldn't find anything comprising, and her career gave Kari comfort - if she flunked out of school, she'd just write outrageous lies and sell them to anyone who would buy them.

Her opinion of Skeeter plummeted the morning of the third task, something that astonished even her. She'd nearly pushed the vision of Harry on the ground, thrashing and clutching his scar during their Divination class, his dream of Voldemort and Wormtail and the threat that Harry would be fed to Nagani. Though she'd told Harry it was just a dream, she'd written to Sirius who was just as worried as she.

_ How _ Skeeter had managed to find out was beyond her, though she wasn't surprised that Malfoy had given an interview. He was now sneering at Harry, doing his best to ignore her glare. “I don't understand,” she muttered under her breath, “she couldn't have heard, not all the way up on the North Tower. I wouldn't put it past Malfoy to sell the story but…”

Hermione looked at her, brow furrowed and then her eyes lit up. A gasp tore through Kari. “You don't think…” Kari said slowly as her heart sped up.

“It's possible but…” Hermione trailed off. “I need to go to the library, just to be sure.”

“She won't be on there.” Kari said quickly as she grabbed her bag, hurrying to keep up with her. “I looked at the registry not too long ago.” At the queer look Hermione sent her way, she added, “after last year, with Snuffles.”

“OI!” She heard Ron call after them. “We have our History of Magic Exam in ten minutes!”

She cast a dark look over her shoulder. “We won't need that long.”

*

The exam for History for Magic was a breeze, and Kari found herself out first, ignoring Hermione’s eye roll. She dumped her bookbag in her dormitory, pulling out her mother’s picture. They had Skeeter. Hermione and Kari had let out a whoop in the library - quickly shushed by the librarian and raced off to class, debating on whether of out of in the open - Kari had half the mind of writing a scathing article, but Hermione had a different approach. Kari had agreed to leave it to her, more than happy at avoiding the “why do you know so much about the Animagus process” question she knew was coming.

Looking at the picture of her mother calmed her, knowing just as she had in her life, Kari had done all she could for Harry. Changing into jeans and her Weasley jumper, she pulled her hair back and threw on a robe before bounding downstairs, her wand secured on her waistband. 

Her face split into a smile when she walked into the Great Hall and spotted the Weasley family surrounding Harry. “This is a surprise!” She said with a laugh as she joined them, hugging them. “What are you doing here?”

“The family of the Champion gets to come watch,” said Mr. Weasley with a smile. “We thought Harry could use the support.”

Grinning, she nudged Harry. “Better than having the Dursley’s here. They'd have a pool going on to see if you'd die. Which, once again I have to remind you, you're not allowed to do.”

Harry laughed. 

The afternoon went on quickly, and the banquet was a great affair. She could barely eat, nerves assaulting her senses as she went over in her mind every spell she'd taught Harry. Midway through dinner, she stood and made her way to the washroom, her food sitting in uncomfortably in her stomach. She nearly plowed into a body on her way out, and she let out a weary curse as she came face to face with Mad-Eye.

He grinned, a mangled look on his face. “Alright, Black?”

“Yes,” she said through gritted teeth. 

“Big night, tonight. Important.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Finally over, this nightmare.”

His grin widened. It sent a shiver down her spine. “It'll be different, after tonight.”

“Why?” She asked quickly. 

He shrugged. “Potter… is important. He will do well.”

It was odd for him to say, she thought, but said nothing. Instead, curiosity had her doing that would have had Hermione screaming in fright - she attempted to read his mind. 

Mad-Eye swiveled both eyes towards her before taking a chug from his flask, and then letting out a chuckle. “Nice try, bloody nice try. Haven't had a student been brave enough to swing the tables on me.”  

“I'm not most students,” she snapped. Frustrated, she turned on her heel and walked back into the Great Hall in time to hear Dumbledore call for the Champions to make their way to the field. Kari hurried to Harry as he stood, her heart beating furiously in her throat. 

“I'll be alright,” Harry said as she wrapped him in a fierce hug. “You've taught me well.”

“I could've shown you more,” she said regretfully as she let him go. “But you'll be alright. You're more prepared than you've been for any other task. You're at the finish line, Harry. We'll be waiting for you on the other side.”

“Win or lose?” He asked softly enough that she strained to hear.

She gave him a smile. “Win or lose. You've always been a Champion to me, Potter.”

He smiled back, waving to the others as he walked away.

Ron came up behind her. “He'll be alright.”

“Merlin’s tits, I hope so,” she said with a shaky breath as she watched Harry until she could see him no more. Something felt off, something felt wrong, and she realized this would be the first time he'd go off into danger without her at his side. 


	16. Chapter 16

“It's taking too long,” she found herself growling as she gnawed on her fingernail. “George, I'm telling you, it shouldn't be taking-”

As if on cue, a loud _pop_ came from the edge of the maze and two bodies slammed if the ground. A cheer went up in the stands, laughter and whooping. Kari froze.

Something was wrong.  

She saw Harry clutching Cedric, who wasn't pushing him off. He wasn't doing anything.  

A wail escaped her, a single note of sorrow among the celebration around her. She didn't need to hear “ _Dead! Diggory’s dead!”_  moments later to know it, had spotted the lack of life almost immediately.

“Kari,” she heard George say, his voice panicked. “Kari, go to him, go, go.” She couldn't breathe, and yet was pushing away from the bleachers, to Harry, to where her worst nightmare was too close to the boy she loved.  

It could've been Harry.

She heard Amos Diggory in the stands, his voice growing frenzied. The crowd buzzed - some full of shock, others openly weeping. Kari couldn't think straight, saw Dumbledore lift Harry and help him stand. Her eyes were glued on Cedric, at his lifeless eyes. 

She heard Cho cry out.

Kari landed on the grass less gracefully than usual, glanced back to see where Ron and Hermione were but she'd lost them. For a second she spotted Malfoy, who was staring at her in horror, his eyes wide. _What happened?_ She saw him mouth and she tore her eyes away from him, before either one of them remembered their hatred for one another.

She'd remember this moment forever, she was certain of it. The chaos and confusion rang in her mind, her blood replaced by ice and the roar of fear in her ears. Shaking her head, she saw Harry being led away from the field by Mad-Eye and her stomach churned uneasily. She hurried towards them when an arm caught her around the middle. Glancing up, she found she couldn't even scowl at Snape. “Something's wrong,” she said numbly. 

His eyes flicked towards Cedric’s corpse. “Clearly.”

Kari tore her gaze away from it, at Harry’s retreating figure. Mad-Eye was leading him, arm clutched on Harry’s elbow like a vice. Knew that Harry was number than she to protest. 

 _Darling, something's wrong._ Her mother’s voice swam in her head, her tone full of worry. _You know what you have to do._

 _Yes._ Kari thought with a rush of determination. _I do._ She focused on Mad-Eye, and **_pushed_ ** with her mind.

Whatever shield he'd erected earlier was tatters, his attention elsewhere. Kari sank to her knees, a pained gasp tearing through her as she pushed and pushed and _pushed_. It took everything from her, leaving her more drained than when he'd intruded her mind.

And then she found what she was looking for. Or rather, something didn't make sense. His memories were not of an Auror, not of Mad-Eye.

It was a young man, someone else.

That man was not Mad-Eye. The knowledge robbed her of what little strength she still possessed and she tried desperately to cry out, a warning, a curse,  _anything._

“Black. Black! _Karina!_ ”

She could hear Snape calling her name, urgency in his voice like she'd never heard it before. Kari forced her eyes open, looked up at him wearily before realizing he held her upright, him kneeling and her slumped between the ground and Snape. “He's not… that's not… I need Dumbledore.”

Snape looked at her, confusion dancing on his face before he looked around and called out Dumbledore's name. Something in his voice snapped Dumbledore’s attention, and he looked away from Fudge to Snape, eyes widening as he spotted Kari on the ground. Kari tasted blood on her lips and when she touched her nose, her fingers were red, sticky and wet. Snape let out a small curse as he brought out a handkerchief and pressed it to her nose. When her eyes began to drift shut, he said harshly, “stay with me, Karina. Don't close your eyes, don't you _dare_ , I need you to stay with me.”

“What happened?” Dumbledore murmured as he reached them, McGonagall on his heels. “Minerva, we need these students away, get-”

“I'm on it,” said McGonagall as she strode to Flitwick.

Kari struggled to sit, glancing at the castle and groaning as she realized that Harry was gone. “He's got him, he's not Mad-Eye and he's got him-”

Dumbledore looked at her, his brow furrowed as he swept his eyes around the crowd. “I told Alastor that Harry was to stay-”

“It's  _not_ Mad-Eye!” Insisted Kari as she pushed herself upright. She felt like retching, her head pounded horribly and she felt like she could sleep forever. Instead she forced the words through her heavy tongue, “I've not had a stellar relationship with Mad-Eye. I read his mind, his thoughts, just now.”

“You.. you read-” McGonagall sputtered as she returned. “Black, that is highly advanced magic.”

Kari let out a laugh that sounded too hysterical to her ears. “You can lecture me later. Professor Dumbledore, I know you have a lot going on right now but that man is not Mad-Eye. Harry is in danger. If what I saw is true, then he's in league with Voldemort. We have to get to him. To Harry.”

Dumbledore looked at Kari, nodding once. “Severus, Minerva. Let's go.”

Kari started after them, before Snape shook his head at her. She let out a disbelieving snort. “I'm not staying behind. You're bloody insane if you think I am. And I know there's no time to argue. So let's go.”

She saw Dumbledore nod slightly.

It was all the invitation she needed.

It was the most determined group of wizards and witches Kari had been in, she thought as she marched up into the school. She had to stop once to retch, waving Snape away as he began to double back to check on her. Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she hurried to catch up to them. Dumbledore’s stride became longer, quicker such that Kari had to walk briskly to keep up with him.

She had promised her adoptive father she'd stay out of trouble this year. Kari was beginning to wonder if that was a fool’s dream.

They reached Mad-Eye’s office. Kari bounded ahead of Dumbledore and said, “I've been wanting to do this all year.”  Before Dumbledore could object, Kari raised her wand. “ _Bombarda!”_

The door flew open and Mad-Eye turned around in time to be stunned by Dumbledore. Kari rushed to Harry’s side, a choked sob escaping her. They collapsed into each other’s arms, Kari dug her face into his neck. “Harry. Harry. Are you alright? Where are you hurt, where-”

“He's back, Kari. Kari, he's _back,_ Voldemort is back. He's got his body back-” Harry seemed unable to stopped before he tore away from her. “And that is _not_ Alastor Moody.”

A strangled laugh was all she managed as she framed his face with her hands. “You stupid boy. You stupid beautiful boy. I'm so glad you're alright.”

Harry pointed at his arm, where blood flowed freely.

Kari let out a breath. “I'm too shaky for magic right now-”

“Come along, Potter. Black. To the hospital wing, both of you-”

“No,” said Dumbledore sharply. While the adults argued, Kari tore a piece of her sleeve off and tied it around his arm. She stroked his cheek, his shoulder, his hand. She couldn't seem to stop touching him, as if she needed to be sure he was here, that he was real.

Dumbledore dispatched Snape to fetch a Truth Potion and Winky, and Minerva was sent to fetch a black dog from Hagrid’s house. Kari looked up quickly at that and felt like crying all over again as she imagined Sirius pacing the pumpkin patch, waiting for a word from anyone that Harry was safe, that it was over.

He was safe. It was not over.

*

By the time Barty Crouch Jr was questioned and the real Alastor Moody recovered, Kari felt as if she could fall asleep dead on her sleep. As they were led to Dumbledore’s office, she sneaked a glance at Harry and her heart broke. He looked aged, weary, broken. She hooked her arm around his uninjured one and let him lean on her. He managed a small grateful smile.

Sirius was waiting for them in Dumbledore's office. He spotted them and rushed to Harry and Kari, wrapping them both in a hug. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt safer than she'd had all night, with his arms around her.

He settled Harry on a chair, and motioned for her to sit but she found that she couldn't. She knew that if she sat, sleep would overcome her. Her mind was weary, broken, as if the spell to push past Crouch’s defenses had been too much for her. Any other time the thought would've worried her. Now she could barely think straight. Sirius went to her, lifting her chin to look into his eyes and let out a small sigh. “My strong brave girl,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. “You've done so well, Kari. You did well. You were bleeding. How-?”

“I think,” she said carefully, for each word felt as it was being forced through. “l may have reached too far when I read Crouch’s thoughts. But Mum told me to, and I knew something was wrong. I'm tired, Sirius.”

He gave her a strange look at the mention of her mother but held her again, placing a kiss on her head. She reached for Harry, her lifeline. “I know.” Sirius murmured as he rubbed her back. “It'll be over soon, Dumbledore just has some questions for Harry. Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing-”

“No.” The word came out forcefully and she shook her head stubbornly. “I'm not leaving Harry. Not again.”

Harry sent a weary look her way. “I failed Cedric. It won't be pretty.”

She sank to her knees in front of him rather clumsily, exhaustion over taking her. “You failed no one. Voldemort played us all. He can have this one, though. The fight’s only just begun, and we’re better prepared this time. We have to be.” Kari settled herself at his feet, welcoming the pain of the hard ground beneath her as a way to keep her awake.

Harry’s story washed over her like ice, each memory of his more terrifying than the last. She listened to it all through muddy thoughts, willing her mind to focus and finding that she couldn't. Her nose began to bleed again and she jammed the handkerchief she'd forgotten she still held onto under it to stem the blood. As she listened, immense sorrow settled in her heart. She'd been unable to do much, and Harry had suffered. For all her guidance and wit, Harry had barely escaped danger and Cedric was dead.

At the memory of Cedric on the ground, lifeless, she drew her knees up and buried her face on her arms. She wouldn't weep, not here when Harry needed to purge his story from his soul and Sirius paced restlessly.

 _You did well, my precious girl._ Her mother’s voice said soothingly in her mind. Sirius whipped his head towards her as if he could hear it too. _You were so brave._

 _I didn't do anything,_ Kari thought wearily. _I didn't do anything, Harry did. I just… sat there._

 _You couldn't have known danger was coming,_ insisted Tori. _And when you knew it was afoot, you fought for your friend. There's bravery in recognizing danger and refusing to give up. You're so much like you're father._

This brought a tired smile to her face. _Had you said that to me last year, I would have hated you for it._

 _I remember._ There was a bit of laughter in her mother’s voice, in her mind. Kari wondered if she was going insane. _And now look at you two._

_I wish you were here, Mum._

There was no answer.

*

When Kari woke up in the Hospital Wing - though she had protested fervently against it, Dumbledore had been worried enough by her spell usage and her mind and insisted she rest surrounded by those she cared about - she did so slowly. She allowed herself to keep her eyes closed, testing her mind and gasping as it felt as if she'd drank the purest water and it now flowed through her. Her thoughts were clear, rushing through her with clarity and purpose. Kari felt better than ever, and even when she remembered all the awfulness from the night before, it was no longer that painful ache in her heart but determination to get something done about it.

She listened quietly while Fudge refused to believe Voldemort was back and couldn't say she was surprised. He was not what she would've pick as their leader during the dark times that lay ahead.

While Fudge argued with Dumbledore, trying to discredit Harry, she sank back into her pillow and stared out the window.

Voldemort was back.

The thought was terrifying but in that out-of-sight way. She'd known of wars in the Muggle world growing up, and had grieved the lives lost but it had never felt real, she had never been a part of it. This felt like that - unlike Harry, she had not experienced the terror of a face to face meeting with the Dark Lord and hopefully wouldn't for some time.

Even a brilliant witch such as her knew she was no match for the likes of him or his followers.

Yet.

A wet nose nudged her hand and Kari glanced down at the dog form of Sirius. She smiled at him, stroking his head. He laid it on the edge of her bed and she found comfort in the repetitive motion. Sirius’ tail wagged.

After Fudge had left, still refusing to believe the truth, Dumbledore instructed the rest of them into motion. Bill hurried off to inform his father of the task at hand and McGonagall was dispatched to Hagrid and Madame Maxime.

It left Snape and Sirius left, and Kari knew what Dumbledore would ask before the words left his mouth. She watched as her father transformed into his human form, heard Mrs. Weasley shriek and hate, pure rage, flash through Snape’s face. At Dumbledore's urging, they shook hands (though she knew they'd much rather pummel each other if given the choice) and they took off to do their duties. Snape refused to look at anyone as he left and Sirius gave her a quick peck on her forehead before shifting back into a dog.

Dumbledore left shortly after and Harry drifted off into a dreamless sleep, leaving Kari to her thoughts. Mrs. Weasley shuffled towards her shortly after, smiling warmly as Kari turned her face away from the window and looked at her. “How are you feeling, dear?”

Kari let out a soft huff of breath. “Like an invalid. I shouldn't be in bed.”

“You pushed yourself too hard,” said Mrs. Weasley quietly as she glanced at Harry. “He may have had the worst of it, poor dear. But you placed yourself in harm’s way. I have no doubt you'd have gone off after them on your own if Professor Snape hadn't stopped you.”

Raising a shoulder into a shrug, Kari said simply, “he's Harry. I'd do anything to keep him safe.”

Mrs. Weasley said nothing for a second, and then opened her mouth as if to ask something before thinking better of it.

Kari smiled. “You were going to ask about Sirius.” At Molly’s startled look, she chuckled. “Didn't need to read your mind to know that question was coming. He didn't kill all those Muggles or Peter Petttigrew. He's innocent. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his daughter. I was out for his blood last year myself… the truth came out and… now he's my father.”

Silence fell between them again and Kari fell into a deep sleep, full of dreams she couldn't control and had no hope of understanding.

*

The end of the year could not have been more somber and everywhere she went she found herself reminded of Cedric. It was silly, she knew, for she did not have a deep connection with him other than the few conversations she'd had with him about Harry. And yet he'd touched her in some way, shown her that you could be a friend even when on opposing sides.

She found herself looking up at the castle from the platform when she spotted Malfoy walking towards the train station, Goyle and Crabbe at his heels. He smirked. “Warned you, didn't I?” He said snidely as he reached her. “Told you he'd be back, and you'd be on the wrong side.”

Kari shrugged. “I still don't think I'm on the wrong side, Draco. Not when the man your family follows kills innocents to further his cause. It's not a man I'd follow. Not for anything in the world.”

“Diggory-”

“Was a brilliant, kind, selfless person.” Anger bubbled dully in her stomach. Hearing Cedric’s name of his lips, knowing he'd been about to sully it, had her eyes narrowing. “Just like Dumbledore, just like Harry. I've chosen my side, and you've chosen yours. You chose wrong. He may be back, but he won't be here long.”

“Perhaps.” His answer surprised her, and when she jerked her head to look at him, he mimicked her shrug. “But I reckon he'll take a good number of your lot with him before he does.”

He meant it, she realized and felt old. Barely fifteen and wondering who'd be next. A lump rose in her throat. She held Malfoy’s stare until he looked away, motioning for his friends to follow.

She continued to look at the castle. It'd been her home and safe space for four years, even with all the craziness surrounding it. Kari’s eyes prickled with unshed tears, and her throat felt tight. Someone walked towards her from behind before stopping next to her. She didn't need to look to see it was George. “It feels different, somehow.” Her voice was thick and low, grief weaving through each word.

George nodded. “We’re different too, little one.”

“For the better, I hope.” She brushed away the tears that had fallen and sighed. “I wasn't going to cry.”

He wrapped an arm around her. “Do, if you need to. You're not alone, none of us are. We have each other.”

Kari lifted her face to him, eyes shimmering with tears as Malfoy’s words rang through her mind. A world without George was a world she couldn't picture, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Yes,” she said softly as they walked towards the train. “We do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much if you've stuck around this long! Fifth Year is already in the works, and besides Third Year, it may be my favourite one to write.


End file.
